


The Ranger's Initiative

by tsukkuyomi



Category: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers, Power Rangers Dino Thunder, Power Rangers Wild Force, Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers in Space
Genre: Gen, Mentioned Character Death, and the public goes against them, au where the Rangers might have accidentally killed a kid, idea taken minorly from the Incredibles, set during Samurai era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-15
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2018-04-09 10:31:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4345118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsukkuyomi/pseuds/tsukkuyomi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It started with a child...."</p><p>For many years the Power Rangers have been protectors of the earth, beloved and trusted by the public as they keep back the monsters and uphold what is right. But then suddenly it all falls apart; one event changes everything and Rangers old and new are being rounded up for what is called their protection but is really their end. All that stands between the end of those who had once saved all is the least likely team, forced to band together when all else fails. But with the public against them, the military after them, and even their own wanting them taken in, can a group of mismatched ex-Rangers really save the world and their friends? Or will they fail even to save themselves?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> (The start of a new story; this is technically the prologue but the "first chapter" is posted soon after this. Yes, the prologue is short and probably terrible, please give this a chance and at least read the next chapter before deciding I suck XD Comments are of course encouraged though)

_It started with a child. The child was not truly special, just a child of parents who loved him, had a few good friends and a few bad grades; he was average, just like any other kid in the world, another person on the earth, another soul, another existence. But everything started with him and in that way he became important, he became special and he caused every event that followed after._

_He had died; death itself is not a special event though his parents and his friends and their parents and the teachers who knew him thought it very important. They mourned and yet found their emotions mixed and uncertain. He had died and it had been a special death; in the city a battle had occurred, as they had many times, as they had in other cities in other times. And it was the battle that took his life; the average boy ran through the streets in search of his parents, his mother, his father, alone among the crowd. The crowd scattered as crashes were heard and as early darkness fell the boy was overtaken and suddenly debris came down and gone was the boy._

_Some thought to argue; there were two contenders, the monster trying to destroy and kill everything, and the protectors in their metal giant trying to save and protect the city. And either could have done, could have been to blame, and they were loathe to blame those who protected of taking an innocent life. But the protectors did not come forward, did not defend themselves, and speculation flew. People talked and gossiped and fear set in and suddenly questions once left unquestioned before were buzzing with life._

_It was then that the man came into the picture. His name was Astor Morgan and he was a politician, and it was he who created the Initiative; to the public he spoke with careful words, alluring phrases. He spoke of the fear, the questions, and he spoke of how to solve these, to bring to light the truth. He crooned and promised; he appealed to questions with promises of answer, he responded to fear with bravado. The people, the parents and friends and teachers and those who didn't know or like the kid, listened and fell under the spell. It took only a few months for the Power Rangers Initiative to pass, and as they were rounded up, starting with the current team, the people watched in happiness. Answers to the mysteries, an end to the creeping anxieties._

_There was one fault though, a single problem; they never should have gone to Reefside._


	2. Let Us Not Fear What Lies Before Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet the first four members of our team, Tommy wears nice shorts and shots are both literally and metaphorically fired.

Reefside, California  
2014  
  
The sun was shining and the sky was clear but the light breeze that blew over the woods made it far from unbearable; to tell the truth it was a beautiful and, in the opinions of the people currently relaxing outside, perfect day.

Two people were lounging out in the backyard of the house hidden in the forest, both in their own lounge chairs; the younger of the two had one leg pulled up to rest her foot on the chair, a magazine held between soft fingers. Her long dirty blonde hair, peppered with streaks of red and blue, lay over one shoulder in a loose ponytail and her eyes scanned the page she was on for a moment before turning to the next and repeating the motion again; she was not paying much attention, her mind elsewhere, thoughts swirling and making it hard to concentrate on anything else.

In the other chair lay a man; he was definitely older than her yet there was still more than plenty of youth to him. Dressed in a simple black t-shirt, showing off more than a few tattoos littering muscular arms, and a pair of what seemed to be swimming trunks, he had his eyes closed. His breathing was light and subtle, his head tilted slightly to one side, not just relaxing but actually napping in the sunlight; the young woman glanced over and couldn't help a light smile. It was good to her to see him so at peace and relaxed. It was very good.

There was a shimmer of light and coolness before a third person appeared, materializing right beside the man; she was young too, and small. Small enough at least to settle in beside him on the chair and curl up into him, wrapping thin arms around his neck. The man was anything but bothered and moved an arm to pull her closer, looking quite comfortable like that as he held her and absently stroked her hair, long black locks that cascaded down her back. Her head tilted up to look at him and crimson eyes stared, a smile touching her face as she saw one chocolate colored eye open just the slightest bit to look down at her. The first woman smiled at them both and let out a sigh, feeling anxieties slip down; maybe they really would be okay. Maybe nothing would happen, that they could enjoy the peace and quiet and not need to worry.

No sooner had the sigh left her lips, no sooner had these thoughts formed, when footsteps were heard. And more than footsteps; she frowned and sat up but the man put up his free hand, "Kira..."

The woman looked at him then nodded, trusting him, having to trust him; she settled again but kept her eyes towards the forest. The noises continued; they seemed to be coming closer. The woman felt the knots in her stomach multiply and she wondered, not for the first time how he could stay so calm, so sure of himself. New noises mixed with the first and the woman, Kira, could swear she saw the flicker of trees being forcefully moved, of something big approaching; she thought it important to be worried yet still relaxed was the man and even his companion in the lounge chair, though her arms tightened around his neck some, seemed to be not letting herself worry too much about whatever was lurking and coming from beyond the trees.

A few moments passed, long minutes that left Kira feeling a bit sick but it didn't compare to the first visual of their visitors. There were hundreds of them, decked out in military finest and she couldn't help but notice the guns in most of their hands. Behind the foot soldiers, and there was no question that was what they were, were a trio of tanks, looking ready to fire and she held no delusions about who they were going to be firing upon. She frowned and gulped a bit before hearing a voice beside her, "Wow, I think 'overkill' is quite appropriate right now to describe this."

"You're telling me," said another and Kira looked over to see both the man and the other woman sitting up, untangled from their previous cozying up and both facing the small army that stopped just a few yards from the trio.

The man, without looking at either girl, gently patted the head of the one beside him and got out of his chair, muttering under his breath inaudibly, and putting his hands in the pockets of his shorts he walked over. Kira frowned and moved to join him but the other woman spoke her name and when faced shook her head. This, it seemed to be written in her expression, was something they had to leave to him and trust in him about. And Kira knew this was right, that it was really her own mind thinking this but still worry and trepidation filled her and she found herself staring as the man approached the intruders.

"Aw so what brings this small army to my backyard?" The man said his tone equal parts amused and annoyed; he stopped a few feet from the army, watching them, waiting for something.

Another man walked forward and the first frowned a little; he was dressed rather plainly for the army, wearing a t-shirt and jeans. He smiled in a friendly manner, as if this was all okay, as if he wasn't currently backed up by soldiers and tanks. The first man tried not to show his anger at this and smiled in return, though more sneer than true smile. "Jason."

"Tommy," the other man said, "You look good. Though I don't see a pool; what's up with the trunks, man?"

"They're comfortable, its sunny out," the first said shrugging, "And Tsuki says I look good in them."

"Oh right, Tsuki." There was a sudden coldness to Jason's voice and he glanced past his old friend to look at the red eyed woman, "Still with her I see."

"She's still with me," Tommy said, almost like a correction; he looked over the army behind Jason again, "Pretty excessive for a visit, don't you think old friend?"

Jason looked back as well then spoke, "Ah yes, well, we didn't want to take any risks."

"If I remember correctly there was only a handful of soldiers when it was ordered that Zack be brought in," Tommy mused and Jason turned to him with a frown; he continued, "Took a few more to drag my student Conner out of the World Series match he'd been in the middle of. Oh and of course Adam put up quite the fight didn't he? Ethan tried and...well," Tommy looked at Jason and the look he gave was harsh, "I guess 'accidentally' murdering them is one way to make sure a Ranger is no longer at large."

"Tommy," Jason started, staring at his friend, "Those were necessary-"

"Oh right necessary," Tommy said letting his anger start to show, "it was necessary to invade Justin's house and take him kicking and screaming; he just got married did you know that? Probably scared the hell out his new bride. And of course trying to kidnap Kira from on stage at a benefit concert was also 'necessary'. What about Trini and Kim, hm? It was necessary to interrupt a peace conference, to come after Kim at her studio? I should be glad I'm not Andros at least."

"Andros killed Zordon, Tommy, don't forget that."

"Andros is a Power Ranger," he retorted and took a deep breath, calming himself down as much as he could; his emotions had gotten the better of him, "Just like us, Jason. He was a Red like you were, and he was a kid like we all were. I am not saying I like what he did but he seemed smart enough and good enough that if there had been any other way, anything, he would have done things differently. But there wasn't; having killed our mentor when he was asked by said mentor is no excuse for what happened."

Jason frowned some more then sighed, shaking his head. "Tommy, I hoped you'd be the one who'd see reason and come willingly."

"That's why you brought three tanks and a full two platoons of soldiers to a high school science teacher's house, because you really believed that I would see the reason in all this and come quietly."

"Dr. Thomas Oliver," one of the soldiers spoke up, raising his gun to point it at Tommy, the others soon following suit, "Under orders of Senator Astor Morgan and in accordance to the Protection for All Act-"

"Rangers Initiative," Kira mumbled under her breath and Tsuki looked at her.

"-we are tasked with bringing you and Miss Kira Ford to the nearest base for processing, questioning and further transportation."

"So basically you want to lock Tommy and Kira up?" Tsuki piped up and everyone's attention went to the red eyed woman.

"Tsukkuyomi Kokuryuu as a frequent and prolonged associate of various Ranger teams will be brought in as well," Jason said then turned to Tommy, "See, you won't be apart from her. You should be happy, at least until they find out what she's capable of. But then, no promises; sorry, old friend."

Tommy frowned and narrowed his eyes at his ex-teammate. "What happened to you Jason? This isn't you, this is not what the man I called friend, that I fought alongside countless times, would do. Your friends are being rounded up, your fellow Rangers hurt, even killed, and you're helping the people who are doing it? Why?"

"You wouldn't understand." With that Jason raised a hand and both Kira and Tsuki sat up straight in their chairs, attention focused before them as the Red Ranger spoke, "Fire at will but try not to kill any of them."

Gunshots rang out and by instinct the girls flinched away though only for a second; a Ranger doesn't turn from danger, Kira reminded herself, and Tsuki refused to miss what was about to happen. They both turned back to the action and both smiled.

Tommy stood, hands still in his pockets, standing up straight with roughly ten bullets barely an inch from his body; he took note of one or two that were right inline for his head. There were quite a few other bullets as well aimed for Kira and Tsuki but all of them, the ones that would have hit him as well as the ones that would have gotten them, frozen, stuck in space. Jason and his army stopped and the former looked at Tommy as he smirked and spoke, a giggle in his voice, "Come on, you really thought that knowing you'd be coming here next that I wouldn't prepare?"

"But....how?" Jason asked and frowned, "You don't have the expertise to put something like whatever this is together, not to mention put it together so quick. And Haley was already-"

"Apprehended," Tommy said, "When you killed Ethan, yeah I know."

"So how?" Tommy simply shrugged then turned to walk away, letting the question hang there like the bullets. More shots went off but he walked over to the girls, leaning down to whisper to them, "Inside."

Kira nodded and Tsuki got up, grabbing his hand and causing him to smile some. The two headed back towards the house with Kira, reaching the back door just as a large noise exploded behind them. Kira couldn't help a look, seeing the barrel of one tank's gun smoking. A giant cannonball of a bullet was now lodged in air with its tinier counterparts but Kira got the sinking feeling that it got closer than the others.

"Dr. O," she said and he closed the door behind them once all three were in.

"I know," he said without looking.

Tommy let go of Tsuki's hand and walked over to the kitchen counter, pausing for a moment before slamming his hands down with enough force to make both of his companions jump; Tsuki rushed over, grabbing his hands in hers to examine them, muttering irritatedly about him hurting himself and this not being the time. He pulled his hands away, frowning. "Damnit, I didn't expect them this soon."

"It'll be okay right?" Kira asked looking to her ex-teacher.

"The force field isn't fully charged," said another male voice and a man walked into the kitchen; he pushed up his glasses, frowning gravely, "It will hold for now but we need to evacuate before it breaks and that could be at any time."

Tommy and Tsuki both looked at him and the latter spoke, "Billy...it's Jason."

The original blue hid his reaction well, as usual, instead nodding. "I'm aware, Tsuki. Its unfortunate that he would be our enemy now but it changes nothing. We must escape and put into place the next steps in Tommy's plan."

"Which are...?" Kira questioned.

"We go to Angel Grove and get inside the NASADA building," Tommy said.

"You mean the one they're currently using as a military base? The one they probably were planning to take us to anyway? The one that will no doubt be full of soldiers and tanks and other dangerous things?" Tsuki asked, "That Angel Grove NASADA building?"

"Tsuki, you already knew about this part of the plan," Tommy said with a sigh.

"Yeah but I've been wondering if I misheard you highly intelligent men think up this very stupid plan and had perhaps hallucinated from too much sun. I'm still not big on California weather."

Tommy shook his head some and Billy smiled just a bit; Tommy spoke, sounding amused, "No, no hallucinating. We're doing this."

"But why?" Kira asked and all three looked to her, "Why are we doing this? We could run, get to China, Russia, England, somewhere not here; we could get to safety so why..."

"Because there are people who need us," Billy said.

"Because Rangers don't run from danger; we only retreat so we can find a way to stop the danger," Tommy said.

"Because we'd never make it out of the country and even if we did there's no guarantee those other countries wouldn't give us over or do worse to us," Tsuki said.

Kira frowned some. "So why go to the NASADA building? How will that help us help others?"

"Simple," Tommy said and he smiled, "We're going there to break out Andros."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Wooooo, first chapter up. And a cliffhanger! I will try to get up the next chapter soon but it's gonna share time with From the Stars to You (which it is not related to, I promise) and another fanfiction with multiple chapters I'm working on. Still I'd love to hear what you think XD)


	3. Escape From Reefside Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which questions were asked, the group tries to run and Tsuki gets to be the hero for a second in time.

Tommy and Billy went down to the lab while Tsuki went upstairs to grab a few things; after a moment of contemplation Kira choose to follow the latter. She still had some questions and she thought maybe the red eyed girl would be able to give her the answers she sought.

She caught up to her in Tsuki's room; as far as Kira could see, taking a look around the rather bare and undecorated room, it was a technicality to call the room "hers". The woman herself was slinging a long blue bag across her back and proceeding to put a few things into another bag.

"Whatcha doing?" Kira asked stepping closer for a better look.

"Collecting a few things," Tsuki responded without looking at her; she grabbed a box from atop her dresser then turned, smiling some at Kira, "Figured we'd be needing some stuff. Anyway what's up, Kira?"

The singer hesitated for a moment, thinking this over for a second before speaking carefully, "You've been with Dr. O for a while right?"

"Since we both were in high school," Tsuki said, "Well, we've been friends since then; we became more over time. Why?"

"So you've known a lot of the teams," Kira said and Tsuki nodded; Kira smiled lightly, "I guess Jason said as much right?"

"What's on your mind, Kira?"

"I was wondering...could you tell me more about this Andros we're supposed to go rescue?"

Tsuki stopped for a moment and looked at Kira, just stared for a good second or so before turning and grabbing another thing from in front of her. "That depends."

"On?" Kira asked.

"How much you already know."

Kira tried to remember back to the video diary from so long ago. "I know he was the red for one of the teams. And apparently he killed Tommy's old mentor?"

Tsuki sighed. "Andros....Andros was, is one of the more....unfortunate Rangers. As you already know the Power often calls on kids and it's not great at always choosing people ready for the experience. More than a few try to escape it, or simply don't understand or believe it at first. Sometimes the Power falls into the hands of those who might misuse it, even just long enough to hurt themselves as well as others."

Kira instant thought of Conner and of Trent but a sensation of regret and sadness, remembering how they were all that was left, caused her to reject it and shake it away. "And Andros was one of those?"

"Nah," Tsuki answered, causing Kira to furrow her brow in confusion; the red eyed woman chuckled, "Andros lost his sister, his planet, everyone he knew save his best friend and his best friend ended up so badly hurt he had to be put in cryogenic stasis. But he fought on; I doubt he ever really regretted becoming a ranger. But...after Zhane got hurt, he sort of became a hermit. Red Rangers tend to have this sort of issue; they are the leader, and tend to take sometimes too much to heart that ultimately they are responsible for the safety of their team. When Tommy lost his green ranger powers for the final time Jason went through a similar state. Andros didn't want a team initially; when TJ and the others approached him, albeit after invading his ship technically, he wasn't interested in making them Space Rangers. But apparently they changed his mind. He is really a very sweet person when you get to know him."

"You know him then?" Kira asked sitting on the bed.

Tsuki pulled the second bag on and nodded. "Pretty well I think. I used to visit him on the Megaship; we'd talk and I'd share baked goods with him, and it was fun. I was there the day they came for him...."

She frowned then and Kira got up to put a hand on her shoulder; Tsuki shook her off. "I'm fine. I gone to tell him about what happened to his team, I felt I had a duty to. If I had stayed a bit longer though I might have been able to help him, I could have helped...but ultimately that doesn't matter. It happened, they took him in and forced the Megaship to land. But we'll get him back."

Kira was quiet for a moment then spoke again, "You said he was unfortunate..."

"Most Rangers can rely on each other for assistance and support," Tsuki responded with a shrug and it struck Kira that her gaze seemed far away, sad and so far from there, "You thought about it yourself when Tommy got kidnapped but Tommy himself had taken part in an incident when multiple reds from different teams had to work together. Admittedly its rarely perfect, not everyone plays nice, but for most they're for the most part able to rely on the fact that if it comes down to it the others will have your back."

"Not Andros though?"

"Andros is the black sheep," she said and started out of the room, Kira following, "You heard Tommy and Jason; Jason is the majority opinion. Most think Andros was wrong to have done what he did, killing Zordon; they think there could have been another way. Most disregard that Zordon asked him to. Yes, the other Rangers will back him up but for the most part, unfortunately, they do not all treat him kindly and they don't trust him. He did his duty and it got him isolated. Of course there are those who support him, his team recognized that it wasn't his choice really, and Tommy has come around but still the boy has not had it easy by far."

Kira nodded and followed her downstairs. She took a few minutes to take in what Tsuki told her, to try and understand what she'd been told. It was a fair bit more than what Tommy's video had; Kira wondered what else he had omitted and for what reasons. Was there more to the story of the Green Ranger? What about the other Rangers he'd mentioned? Was there darkness he'd hidden from the record, because of fear, because it wasn't important? Because it might turn out to be the most important in a time when the Rangers were being hunted?

Ultimately though Kira's next question was not about that though, not the darkness of the rangers, not the things her teacher hid. Instead it was "Why does Jason hate you?"

Tsuki laughed some, obviously taken off guard but not honestly bothered by it. She spoke without hesitation though she sounded amused, "Because he was Billy's friend."

Before Kira could ask about that Tsuki opened the secret hatch to the lab and started down. The boys were still there, Billy hunched over the big screens, typing away at the keyboard as streams of information, numbers and letters and pictures flew by. Tommy had a black bag of his own slung over his shoulder and had been watching the screens when Tsuki and Kira arrived; then he turned to look at them and Tsuki walked over to him.

"How's the force field holding?" She asked though it was unclear who she was asking.

Billy answered, frowning. "We have about fifteen minutes top-" he was interrupted by a loud bang and the lab shook some, "Make that five."

"They still don't know about the cave entrance right?" Kira asked.

"They shouldn't unless someone told them." No one dared say it, no one wanted to be the one to verbalize the thought; the enemy, the government, had Conner. Conner though would never reveal their secrets, not him. Same for Hayley, she helped build the lab after all. Neither could ever have told...

Tommy looked up. "We better get going now. The clock is ticking after all."

And with that they all focused back on the issue: escape, if it was possible. Billy continued to type away and Kira went to watch despite not fully understanding. Tommy looked at Tsuki and seeing the blue bag on her back he frowned though it was not in anger. It was resignation, and fear, reflected those brown eyes.

"It's gotten to that point, huh?" He asked.

She gave him her best reassuring smile. "If we plan on surviving to see tomorrow and every day after, then we have to prepare."

This did not make him feel better and he put an arm around her, pulling her closer. Lightly while no one was watching he kissed her on the top of her head, making her blush and blink. He spoke, "Don't do anything reckless, Tsuki."

"Oh that's rich, coming from you," she said chuckling, "Didn't you just stand in front of an army with only an untested force field to protect you?"

He was about to retort but she put her arms around him, hugging him tight and resting her head on him; she continued, "I'll try but you have to too; I don't want to lose you any more than you want to lose me."

Tommy stared at her for a moment then smiled and hugged her close, letting her listen to his heart, allowing both to just be close. "I'll try, mouse."

The two just stayed like that for a moment until someone cleared their throat, very loudly. Tommy and Tsuki looked over to see Billy and Kira watching them; the former looked less than amused. The latter honestly looked to be trying not to giggle.

"If you two are done?" Billy asked and the two separated; he sighed, "I checked surveillance and the cave is clear. If we sneak out and try not to attract any attention we should be able to get out of Reefside within the hour. But it will have to be on foot and now; there's no telling what will happen and we want to have the best chance of the least amount of trouble."

Tommy nodded then spoke, "Then if everyone's ready?"

Billy nodded and got up away from the computer, Kira walking over to Tommy with him. "I am; I have been for a while now. Kira?"

"I'm as ready as I think I can be," she said though she was still worried.

Seeing that Tommy patted her head, causing her to make a face and glare at him some. He smiled and spoke, "This won't be easy but you can handle it, Kira, I know you can."

"Because I have to?" She asked, not meaning to sound bitter.

"No, because you can," Tommy said, "Though you're right too; none of us have a choice in this. Except Billy of course; he could always go back to Aquitar."

"No thank you, Tommy," Billy said.

Another smile then the ex-black ranger looked to Tsuki. "And you?"

"I got all I needed or wanted," she said and grabbed his hand, "Lets get going already."

Another nod and Tommy opened the entrance to the lab that led out into the caves. They were still not sure if they would find salvation or danger on the other end of the underground, if their enemies knew even these secrets, but all four seemed determined to push forward. Kira looked around as they walked, finding herself remembering. She remembered trying to find her way with Conner and Ethan, snapping at the former for calling her "babe", stuck with the two boys for a detention she at least didn't deserve in her opinion. How just playing a song could lead her to this, escaping through caves with her ex-teacher, his girlfriend and one of his old teammates, it was startling. And thinking about those days, when things had really been so much easier, when things had been dangerous but at least she had two people by her side who would become her bestest friends in the world, it hurt her. She didn't want to die, she didn't want to see any more Rangers or civilians or mentors die.

"We'll be okay," she muttered under her breath and felt a hand lie over hers; Billy looked at her sympathetically and nodded his agreement. They'd be fine, even if that was a lie.

The end of the caves were in sight after a while and from the perspective everything looked good; they looked to be home free, though they were in fact running from their home. Still Kira felt some hope bubble up in her and tried to quicken her step when....

KABOOM! Overhead came a sickening sound; Tommy and Billy both looked back, grim expressions coloring their faces, and Kira felt her heart stop as her feet did. There was a ringing after sound, high pitch and painful, and then more explosions; it was hard to hear when Tsuki screamed, "Run!"

Kira couldn't move at first but Tommy grabbed her, heaving his ex-student over one shoulder as they made a break for the exit. Rocks and debris started showering from above, more and more with each loud bang and roaring sound of tanks rolling forth. At the end of the line Tommy basically threw her out, Tsuki teleporting at the last second and the two boys by the grace of the Power barely managing to get out of the way as the caves collapsed behind them. Tsuki stood beside her friends sitting on the ground and all four stared at what once had been their way in and out of the Dino labs.

"My home," Tommy muttered under his breath.

"The lab," Billy whispered in disbelief.

"Oh god," Kira said realizing if they had dallied a moment longer, been a second too late, they could have been trapped, or worse.

Tsuki had nothing to say, just staring before turning to the others. She started fussing and Kira was treated to seeing Dr. O be scolded for scratches and bruises, his expression mildly annoyed but didn't complain or stop her. Billy seemed fine when it was turned on him and Kira was shocked by her doing the same to her. Tsuki seemed intent on all three being tended to quickly.

Tommy scowled a bit at the band aid on his arm, featuring the Green Mighty Morphin Ranger, "Where did you even get these ridiculous things?"

"EBay," she answered.

Billy chuckled some. "Good you have at least some first aid with you."

"Of course she does, she always does; you know that," Tommy said smiling a bit himself.

Tsuki nodded and Tommy spoke again, "You erased the databases right?"

"I set up a virus in the lab," Billy said, "Anyone tries to access the network then they'll have thirteen seconds to input the code or the system is commanded to drop all its info into the most inaccessible depths of cyberspace."

"And the code?"

"Only known to you, I, Kira and Tsuki, something only we four would think of," Billy said with some pride. He then patted his pocket, "I also have a backup of the more important information with us for when we get back Andros and have to proceed to step three."

"Good," Tommy said and he got up, dusting himself. Kira did the same with Tsuki's help and Billy stood too; the ex-green continued, "Off to Angel Grove we go then."

 

This was easily said; not easily done. As the quartet made their way through the forest the sound of explosions followed, footsteps and yells seeming to be coming from all around. Tsuki frowned and felt Billy move closer to her, Kira close to Tommy as well; the couple looked at each other then their new personal space sharer and let them stay close. This was not the time to break apart after all; they knew very well that beyond the trees and shadows of the woods that they would be facing the city, much more difficult to hide there. Plus Tommy suspected more problems there.

He pulled on Tsuki's hand, helping her and Kira over one of the thicker fallen trees; Billy was climbing over it himself when another shot cried out in the forest, quite close, and Kira spoke,"Dr. O, are you sure we should-"

"We have to keep pressing on," he interrupted and walked forward, pulling Tsuki along. The red eyed girl looked to their friends, both of whom just stared at him, then to him.

"Tommy?" She said softly.

He did not answer and Billy and Kira caught up to them. Billy frowned. "Tommy."

"We don't have time for questions, remember? We have an army after us and..." He broke off.

"And?" Billy asked, adjusting his glasses after a branch snagged on them and turned them crooked.

"Nothing." Another shot, this one whirring by Tommy's ear; there was a growl from Tsuki but all four broke into a run. They didn't know if that was luck or if the enemy really was so close but now was not the time for taking chances.

Multiple paths lay before them but Tsuki clung to Tommy's hand, and Billy stayed close to two of his oldest friends, and Kira was holding tight to part of Billy's arm as not to be left behind. The quartet maneuvered through the trees and amongst the plants, and suddenly, more attacks seeming to be following, Billy tugged on Kira and Tsuki and Tsuki, dragging Tommy along, fell into a ditch with them.

All four sat there, hidden by dirt and a felled tree, the ditch half hidden by the behemoth of wood; keeping low and trying to stay hidden, the sound of footsteps crunching against the leaves and sticks littering the forest floor followed them. They were getting closer and closer; Tommy didn't know if he felt relieved or not that it sounded like the tanks were not included in this chase.

"Mr. Scott," said a voice.

"Have you found them yet?" The familiar tones of Jason inquired.

"No, we thought we had them but they seem to have disappeared, sir."

Tommy pressed himself further under the tree, trying to hide as much of himself as possible; beside him the others too tried their best to be as small as possible, the girls having an easier time of it.

"Hm," Jason's voice said, "Well keep looking; they have to be somewhere. If you don't find them don't worry; they have to get to the road eventually and Reefside. We keep a surveillance over those and we should be able to catch them."

"Yes sir!" Said the first voice.

It seemed they were walking away now, the two continuing to talk but getting fainter along with the sounds of footsteps.

Once they seemed to be safe, as safe as they could be right now, the four climbed out of their hiding spot. Tommy came out first, signaling his allies to wait as he moved out and took a look around from behind the tree; it looked to be all clear, no sign of soldiers or ex red rangers. Well except him. He stood up carefully then motioned for the others to come out; he assisted Tsuki, her bags making getting out harder. Kira dusted herself as she climbed out and Billy frowned, looking at Tommy. "Well?"

"Well what?" Tommy said not looking at his fellow scientist, taking another look around.

"They are monitoring the roads-"

"-which we knew they'd probably think to keep an eye on-"

"-and they probably told the whole town about us; how do you advise we move forward in these conditions?"

Tommy did not respond, not immediately. He didn't have the answer to that rather good question; though he had a plan it was more ideas and points, not actual stuff on how. They needed to get past the military members though, through the city and to Angel Grove. Preferably without being seen.

He looked at Billy, the Kira, then finally Tsuki, all three staring at him in anticipation of his answer. He put a hand on Tsuki's chest instead.

"Tommy!" Billy exclaimed seeming surprised.

"Dr. O," Kira said blinking.

Tsuki blushed, staring for a moment then raising an eyebrow and gently removing his hand. "Love, as much as I love it when you want to play, now I think is not the time."

"Minds out of the gutters," he said rolling his eyes then turned to her again, "Your heartbeat is a bit fast."

"Yeah, running does that."

"You think you're calm enough for a group teleport?" Tsuki blinked and thought on it.

Billy smiled. "Oh I get it. Good idea."

"Tsuki can instantaneously teleport to any place she wishes," Kira thought aloud, "Why didn't we do that before if she can do it with us with her?"

"Stress," Tommy and Tsuki said in unison.

Billy explained, "We discovered that her ability is hindered by many factors but most of all is her own personal stress levels. If she cannot focus on the destination then she cannot complete the action."

"Also the more people I move the more pressure it puts on my body and the more exhausted I get," she said, "in general a short trip, like what I did at the cave, those are easy and about as exhausting as blinking. But with four of us, trying to get to Angel Grove would take some more energy, I'd assume..."

"Assume?" Kira asked.

"I have only done one other teleport with more than three people before and I landed us in the middle of a desert, far from our destination."

Billy interjected, "That was for one when we were still in high school, another with six rangers, and thirdly when you were under considerable stress to get us out of there."

"Still," Tsuki said and drifted off.

"We don't need you to get us to Angel Grove," Tommy said and the others looked at him; he smiled, "Just into Reefside, far enough in to hopefully avoid their soldiers. Middle of town perhaps."

"That's still quite a few miles," Billy commented.

Kira looked to Tsuki and she seemed to be thinking on this again. Then the red eyed woman nodded. "Alright, lets try it."

Tommy seemed pleased by this response and hugged her with one arm. "Good answer, mouse."

"I'm not a mouse," she said with a huff and pushed him away gently; she then offered her hands and Tommy took one while Billy took the other and offered his free hand to Kira; she grabbed it as Tsuki spoke, "Worse case scenario we land in the way of our enemy so yeah, no pressure. Okay, hold tight."

She closed her eyes and Kira watched her; nothing seemed to happen at first then a prickling of the air and Kira blinked.

 

Downtown Reefside was way quieter than any of them expected and Billy had to check his watch to make sure this was just a reasonable downtime and nothing sinister. By his calculations it looked to be the former, luckily, and as he breathed a sigh of relief he heard Kira gasp. He looked at her, vaguely remembering the time with the desert; it seemed Tsuki's power tended to be a bit hard on the body the first time when she teleports multiple people. Kira looked to be okay though, still standing and of course breathing, all good signs. She was simply hunched over slightly, trying to catch her breath and looking a bit more than startled.

Tommy cracked his neck lightly, rolling his head. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that, Tsuki."

"I just don't teleport with you often enough, Tommy," Tsuki said, "That'll probably change." The way she said it sounded less an invitation and more a solemn fact.

He sighed then turned to Kira, frowning a bit, "Are you alright, Kira?"

Kira nodded and stood up straight, not looking all that good but she seemed to be trying. She bit her lip and spoke, "Fine, I'm fine. Won't...won't Jason know..."

"Know we could do that?" Tommy finished for her; Kira nodded, "Remember, the Mighty Morphin team had replacements over time; last and only other time we've done that was after he and the others left. It was a failure technically so no one outside the team involved knew until now."

"No guessing?" Kira said though not a complaint. They were, apparently, safe. No soldiers, no tanks, no Jason; the road ahead looked pretty clear.

Billy shrugged, demonstrating the lack of knowledge, no one really could be sure. Kira wasn't sure if she liked it, and even less sure she liked it but it wasn't like she had choices. All they could do, all they did now, was walk on and hope that the road to Angel Grove would be far less eventful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I was gonna put off publishing this until I get Glances done but you know what? It's Tommy's birthday! And I just had to post XD I have a story for his birthday too but this too ^w^ Happy birthday faaaaallllcccoooooonnnnnn!~ We love you Tommy ^w^)


	4. The Road Is Long And Winding But We Will Persist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a miracle happens, a home is returned to, a new friend makes five, old things are made new and a boy's heart is touched.

There was fortune on the side of the three ex-Rangers and a civilian; where as the walk to Angel Grove normally would have taken the better part of a day at least, and multiple days at most, their trip was shortened by the discovery of an abandoned car, complete with keys. Tommy was not willing to think on what exactly would have caused such a thing to be there, a magnet for theft or worse yet for them a trap; still he didn't complain as Billy took to checking over the car for any bugs or tracking devices, neither willing to be caught off guard in the position they were in.

Billy finished checking the trunk and stretched a bit, feeling soreness start to set in. “No sign of any interfering machinery nor anything that could be used for nefarious purposes such as listening in or recording and relaying our location and motions. Nor is there any explosive devices that could potentially harm us any more than the norm for a-”

“Good,” Tommy interrupted and nodded, “Everyone, into the car.”

They didn't need to be told twice; Tommy took the driver's seat and Billy climbed into the passenger's side, leaving Tsuki and Kira in the backseat. As the two girls got in and buckled, and Tommy started up the car, Kira frowned a bit and turned to Tsuki. “Seems a bit-”

“Convenient?” Tsuki finished for her; Kira nodded and the red eyed woman sighed lightly, “I'd agree; Billy didn't find any abnormalities that would denote this as a trap or anything though so we have to at least try to believe that this isn't too much of a coincidence. Let's stay on our toes either way.”

“Don't jynx it girls,” Tommy called back to them before putting the car into drive.

Kira gave him a look and Tsuki sighed, rolling her eyes, yet neither made a comment. He was right really; it was better for the mental health of all of them to not dwell too terribly on the possible things wrong with this situation. They didn't need more worries at this particular point in time, they all knew that much.

The ex-yellow though couldn't help a glance out the window as they made their way through Reefside and out of the city in which she had grown up. Admittedly she had been away for a while; after everything that had happened, after her time as a Ranger and the last big battle, she had found herself just unwilling to stay. It had become too hard, everywhere reminded her of those days and it left her with a pit in her stomach; part of the good thing about becoming a popular musician, always moving about, always wandering. She was sure that she had managed to get away from it.

And then that night; a shiver went down her spine remembering and she slunk back into her seat. She had known of course about the attacks; her friends, ex-comrades, still precious even after years, they had sent her messages about them and about everything that had been going on, Ranger's network and all that. Then there was Ethan's death and....

Kira would never say that she hadn't been scared, because she had been. She had been, and she still was, but maybe, just maybe, looking back upon those days, as she had been working on concerts, getting messages from old friends but of course never personally seeing it all, maybe she hadn't been afraid enough. She was not about to admit it out loud but it was the truth; she had told her manager, a man who she trusted but never enough to tell the full truth of her teenage years, she would be fine as the news came through that Ethan had been cut down by some soldiers who had come for him to his place of employment; she'd even convinced herself that she would be fine, that the concert was more important, her music and her fans. And Tommy, Dr. O had told her that all information about her involvement as a Ranger had been hidden away, that there was no way that she would be found out; Ethan and Hayley, they had been known associates of Rangers, helping out the teams after their own had completed their objective, so of course they would be found out. She did not know about Conner. She did not know about the Mercer mansion being raided in hopes of finding the location of Trent and his father. She did not know about the Rangers who had been living normal lives, hidden, quiet, dragged back out into danger by those they once saved....

She had been in the middle of a song, she remembered that well; closing her eyes and whimpering softly under her breath, too soft she hoped to be noticed as Tommy drove them onward, she found she could even feel that night again. The heat of the lights all around the open air stage, the sounds of her band behind her playing almost louder than the deafening screams and cheers of all the fans who had come to see her, the dark canvas of night and stars above her head as the young music star had drowned in what she had been so sure was a beautiful perfect night; there was no war there, only music and love and happiness and excitement and the pounding in her heart had been for the adrenaline that came with being in utter bliss as she performed for them.

At first. It changed as the screams changed; it changed as the crowds started yelling, fear and surprise mixing with music and obvious cheering until the first gunshot. And somehow, somehow it was a thousand times louder than anything they could make; it rang in her ears and though it took a second for her body to catch up, her mind already knew what it was, and her eyes went towards where she was so sure it came from.

The men garbed in their military clothing, so out of place in a place like this, set off alarms and panic, not only in her fans but in her, and she remembered. She had tried to ptera scream; it was so embarrassing now, thinking back on it, but it was her first instinct. After all the fighting, after all the monsters, tyrannodrones, enemies insistent upon hurting her, hurting innocents, that was all she saw when she saw them; she saw the same mooks who had tried to kill her and Ethan and Conner that first day after getting their gems, she saw the monsters that attacked Reefside, she saw Mesagog and his terrible face and every cell in her body, so tuned now to war, remembering so entirely the things needed to survive, screamed for her to do them. Do the ptera scream, disorient or knock out, then kick low, punch with your thumb wrapped over your fingers not inside your fist, fight smart not hard; every lesson Dr. O had given them, every training session, it came rushing back. But of course the scream didn't work and she had been rudely reminded she no longer had her gem, that she was just a singer and they had guns and other weapons and she had to get out of there because she was also their target. And there was that different pounding, there was that true fear and terror, something she would come to know much better in time, after the appearance of her saviors, after Tommy and Tsuki had showed up and gotten her out of there, the one Dino Thunder ranger they could save.

And even from these memories she was forcefully removed from these memories by the feel of a hand on her shoulder and she turned with wide eyes to look at her backseat companion who gazed back at her with a gentle concerned expression, and who spoke softly, reassuringly, to her.

“It's alright Kira,” Tsuki said and Kira didn't realize she had been shaking until Tsuki's hand gripped her shoulder and she was forced to bite her lip to hold back the tears that were threatening her eyes, “You're safe with us and we'll get the others too, okay? We're safe.”

The ex-yellow just stared for a moment before leaning against the older woman, feeling her arms wrap around her to hold her close. She wanted to believe that, she really did.

 

Tommy glanced back at the two women in the backseat through the rear view mirror and frowned. He knew that Kira, because of the circumstances under which he had had to retrieve her, would likely hold some latent trauma. Of course; the girl had been living her life, as so many of them had been, living out her dreams and happy when this whole ordeal happened. He had no idea how the government had found out about her being the Dino Thunder Yellow Ranger, or about Conner being Red; he had of course records on them, on many Ranger teams, but he had been meticulous in hiding his information. It wasn't like the villains were completely stupid, nor that they all were incapable of hacking computers. Protection of the information had been his number one priority after compiling as much of it as possible.

Yet somehow the information had gotten out; had they looked into the school records, checked for any student with strange absences, tardies, disappearance? He would be the first to admit that being a Ranger, while it was supposed to be covert, was rarely anything less than conspicuous; they wore their suit's color, they all often morphed not entirely out of view of others, they were always the ones with the silliest excuses for disappearing or being late. The fact no one ever noticed it was a miracle, one he suspected was half to do with the Morphing Grid itself sometimes, but that couldn't be all, it was not enough to straight out know who each Ranger was, especially when Tommy had altered any record at the school that had not already been changed or not done at all by Principal Randall. The best thing about Elsa had been her being a villainess herself and enemy to the Rangers had meant she hid as much about them as possible, not needing to record their disappearances or even let them be known; they were after all often because of some monster of her master's, or ex master as it had been. Thinking about Elsa though left a bad taste in his mouth and he wondered if maybe the ex-henchwoman was being kept in Angel Grove as well; her attempt to give Tommy enough time to get out of school on his last day there had gotten her captured by the military herself and as he had not heard about her being killed he had to hope she was safe. Or as safe as she could be under the circumstances.

The science teacher grunted as he made a harsh left turn, causing the other three inhabitants of the car to each let out startled noises of their own. Tsuki continued to hold Kira, giving Tommy a look through the mirror and Billy frowned, turning to Tommy as he fixed his askew glasses. “Tommy...”

“We have to make sure not to take too direct a path,” Tommy said and kept driving down that path for a while longer until making yet another sudden turn into a less graveled road; the car lurched and jumped, hitting bump after bump and Kira let out a soft whimper in the back.

He went on. “I know it's not pleasant-”

“Not pleasant doesn't begin to describe it,” Tsuki said and gave a soft sigh, “But I do understand what you're trying to do so I'm not about to complain.”

“I simply wish there was a more amicable approach to getting to Angel Grove without being spotted by those trying to hunt us,” Billy commented with a nod.

“Me too, Bill,” Tommy said frowning and narrowing his eyes as the road met back up with the main path, clear skies and tall Californian mountains and all he had his attention on was whether or not they were going to see a barricade of not; he mostly murmured the rest, “Me too...”

 

It was nearly nightfall when finally, slowly, the vehicle slunk its way into the sleepy suburbs of Angel Grove. The tank was near empty and Tommy was just thanking the gods that they had made it that far without the car completely giving out, muttering his gratitude under his breath as they made their way into the quiet streets that connected the neighbors out there. A quick glance to around the car gave him an understanding of the current state of things; Billy had fallen asleep, probably some time between now and when they had made their last pit stop, in a dirty abandoned truck stop far off the beaten path, half hidden by crumbling road and very useful rock formations, where they had all had to get out to stretch tired legs and take a break. Tsuki was leaning against Kira, glazed eyes staring silently out the window, close it seemed to falling into the same rest as their bespectled friend; Kira herself was looking wide awake and it occurred to Tommy she had been since they had stopped, her own eyes scanning the windows with an alertness that to a degree honestly worried him. He couldn't figure out if it was that she was excited to see her teacher and mentor's old home or was just waiting for the army to rush down upon them from behind the houses with their dark windows and quiet doorways. He couldn't honestly blame her; something about the serene neighborhood had him on edge too, unable to help but strain his ears and eyes, as much as it felt useless too in the darkness and in the car, for any sign, any clue to the enemies that may lurk, just waiting for them. 

He reached back with one hand, putting it on her arm and as she turned to him he gave her light smile and a small nod. She blinked then returned the smile and seemed to relax, even if just a little; he then returned his attention to the road and taking another turn, nowhere as abrupt as some he had in the beginning of this trip, he slowly glided down the street before pulling into the driveway of one house in particular. Stopping the car he shook Billy lightly. “Hey Billy, wake up.”

The genius woke with a start and a small yelp, opening his eyes wide and nearly knocking his glasses off with how quickly he got up. He blinked rapidly and looked around himself, trying to recalibrate his brain before remembering; the remembering brought a frown to his face, more sad than anything, and he fixed his glasses again before turning to Tommy, raising an eyebrow in unspoken question. The ex-green indicated towards the house and Billy looked, taking off his seatbelt and climbing out of the car.

What he saw before him made his heart simultaneously skip a beat in happiness and drop in sadness. The place had not changed it seemed, the same pale paint, the same overhead shelter, the same indents in the gravel where many a wheeled device and explosion had left dents, marks, groves. The garage door was closed, as it had been the last day he had been there, locking it up before going off to Aquitar, and even after all this time, he knew; he was home.

“Why?” It was the only thing he could think to say, the only thing the brilliant ex-blue could before turning to his friend and seeing the smile on Tommy's face, Tsuki and Kira getting out of the car as well.

“I figured it would be the best place to start from,” he told Billy and shrugged, “I mean we can't go to the Command Center after all and this place....your house, it was always like the second headquarters for us, now wasn't it?”

There was something else there, an unspoken response: “I know you haven't been home yet since this whole thing started, I thought it would make you feel comfortable again if we went back even for a second”. It really made Billy smile and he let out a soft chuckle before making his way over to the garage door, starting to unlock it as he spoke to them, “We might want to get inside then before anyone notices us.”

“Yeah,” Tsuki said softly, not so much sleepily as uncertain and as Billy lifted the garage door enough for them all to slip inside, she was not the only one to glance around before doing so.

Billy was not surprised by what he found inside; the garage door had been still locked but still the laboratory was not untouched. Papers scattered, experiments overturned and some even broken, no section left alone; it was clear to them all what had happened there. Yet still, even knowing this had to have happened, knowing this was only inevitable with Jason working with the government right now, it didn't change how much it hurt him, hurt and angered.

Tommy was not the one to grab his arm this time; Tsuki wrapped her arms around him without hesitation upon seeing the damage and hugged him close and tight, and the genius didn't skip a beat, wrapping his own arms around her in return and buried his face in her hair.

“My lab,” he murmured.

“I'm so sorry, Billy,” Tsuki said and squeezed him, “I should have come here first; I should have made sure your house was secured when all of this started, I now you left it in my care and I am so sorry. Please don't be upset, Billy, please.”

He shook his head. “It's not you who are at fault here.” And there was a venom to his voice, an anger that felt entirely unlike him, and it sickened to know it was coming from him, what this was making him into.

He lifted his head and looked over at Tommy, watching as the man picked up papers, glancing over them momentarily before placing them on the table; it was a minor comfort, seeing him at least make an effort to not make more of a mess and Billy let go of Tsuki finally after a moment, starting to clean up some himself. Kira, and soon enough Tsuki too, worked getting things fixed up as much as they could, Tommy alone seeming to be looking specifically for something and frowning, his brow furrowing more and more as he seemed to not find it.

Finally, after righting his computer and trying to not get more upset seeing the cracks in his old faithful monitor from being thrown from the desk, Billy spoke, “What's on your mind Tommy?”

“You used to have blueprints of the NASADA building, right?” Tommy said and continued to look around, “I vaguely remember you being in contact with them during our time as Rangers.”

“Yes, they required some assistance with the design of some of their earlier rockets,” Billy said nodding, “During which time they allowed me access to their records so I could better advise them on what they had; I do believe I happened to procure a copy of the blueprints to their main facilities.”

“Well I can't find them,” the ex-green responded and started looking through cabinets, only to find most empty of their contents already.

Billy shook his head and the girls put things back into the drawers Tommy opened. “I am not surprised by this. No doubt when they insisted upon ransacking my private laboratory for whatever it was they were questing for they confiscated anything that might be of use to any rouge agent, especially in respects to where they are holding our comrades.”

Tommy sighed, stopping for a moment and glanced over his shoulder at his friend. “Damn, I was hoping we would have that much on our side. Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised either.”

“It will certainly be a pain to try and go in there without some sort of map,” Tsuki said and looked up at him, “But seriously I doubt blueprints from nearly two decades ago would be much help with what the place looks like now.”

“Tsuki, please, a man can dream can't he?” Tommy asked glancing over.

“Sorry but as your girlfriend, I have taken it as part of my duties to keep you grounded as much as possible.”

“Aw but you're such a dream come true.”

“Please,” Billy said with a slight twitch of his eye, “Do not flirt in my lab, destroyed or not.”

Both turned to him and Tsuki looked sheepish, apologizing softly. Tommy nodded then sighed again, scratching the back of his head. “Okay then, what do we do now?”

“How far is the NASADA building from here?” Kira piped up.

“Not terribly far,” Tommy said, “Still....”

“Still?”

“We do not fully understand the situation here in Angel Grove as it presently may be,” Billy commented and Kira raised an eyebrow; he continued, “I myself have been gone for eighteen years now, and I suspect neither Tsuki nor Tommy made many attempts in the intervening years to return to this city after his time as a Ranger here ended. In addition with the more recent unpleasantries of the Ranger's Initiative and the populace's turn against those of us who were known and discovered, it is possible that the state of the city we once protected is not the same as it was. As such we cannot simply walk out into Angel Grove and expect to make it to our destination with something in the way of turbulence and interference.”

“There's no telling who is on our side and who isn't,” Tsuki added, “I mean the Rangers did so much for Angel Grove, they fought so much to keep this city safe but honestly there's also no denying that much of Angel Grove's dangers also came about because the rangers were here to start with,. But this city would have been destroyed anyway if Rita had been around and Billy and Tommy and everyone hadn't been.”

“Including Jason.” There was a moment of pause there and no one spoke, after which Tommy shook his head and with a determined expression made his way back towards the garage door. He moved to open it and Billy watched him, speaking up, “What's the plan then, Tommy?”

“Same as it has been,” Tommy said and got the door open, “Nothing has changed really; we just have to hope it's late enough and we're quiet enough to get all the way to the NASADA building without any trouble.”

“Tall order,” Tsuki commented and shook her head before following him out.

Kira turned to Billy, trying to read his thoughts on this but getting nothing. “Was he always like this?”

“Being a red ranger for any amount of time does seem to tend to cause rather erratic and reckless behavior in people,” Billy said and made his way over to join his friends, "But yes; Tommy has always been reckless and optimist sort of fool. It's sort of part of his charm I have found."

Kira hesitated but with a sigh followed as well, figuring it better to join. She had no other choice really at this point.

The group regrouped by the car and Tommy spoke once more, “Okay so the car might be able to get us at least close to the building but then it's basically kaput, and getting more fuel for it won't end well.”

“We also can't just assume we'll luck out again like we did the first time finding this thing,” Kira said nodding, “So I guess we just push it as far as it can go and walk from there?”

Tommy nodded. “That is the current plan. Now it's nearly nine now; downtown is unlikely to be very busy, much like Reefside was. As we saw getting in here the neighbors all seem to be in their houses with all the lights off which frankly is setting off all sorts of alarms already in my brain but I'm just going to assume the best right now. Like Angel Grove is as always full of good, clean people as usual and they all have long days tomorrow. That said we are going to go carefully into the main town and still hope for the best; Billy, I'm gonna need you to drive this time.”

“Me?” Billy asked blinking, “Why may I inquire?”

“It's still unknown if Jason knew you came back,” Tommy told him, “So if he didn't know...”

“...then the army probably doesn't know,” Billy completed for him and sighed, “You require me to drive because if we do get sighted and stopped, they might simply examine but not recognize me and allow us through.”

Tommy nodded and tossed him the keys before making his way into the passenger seat. Tsuki and Kira climbed back into the back and Billy got into the driver's side, closing the door before speaking again, “May I ask though why you did not think of that before when we were exiting Reefside?”

“Truthfully I forgot.” The genius sighed, not sure what he expected but said no more, starting up the car and putting it into reverse. At least Tommy was honest about his forgetfulness.

 

As Tommy had predicted Angel Grove had gone quiet it seemed as the night had crept over it. Some shops were open and unlike the suburbs they found themselves seeing people out, not many but a few; the important thing was that they were left alone for the most part, no one even sparing a glance at the car that slowly drove down the street. Billy kept an eye out for any trouble and tried not to chuckle at the way Tommy tried to sink into his seat, as if the over six foot tall martial artist was ever going to be able to hide in such a way; it was more suspicious to anyone who might be looking in than if he would simply sit up straight. Luckily no one seemed to be and they were a few streets away from the house when the sputters of the engine got too much and Billy pulled into a vacant parking lot, finally letting the car stop and rest.

They sat there for a second, in silence and thought. Then Kira spoke, “How far from here?”

“Just the next block over.” As Billy said this Tommy indicated with a finger past some buildings and trees to a gate, and past the gate a large building. Even from where they were Kira could see problems and her heart sank some.

For one there were guards manning the gate and she didn't need to see them clearly to know who they were; getting out of the car and making their way over, trying to seem causal yet at the same time making themselves as unseen as possible, Kira could indeed clearly see the military garb, so familiar after that night at the concert. She bit her lip to hold any words and kept looking around. The guards at the gate were not the only people there; beyond the iron wrought entrance she could make out more personnel walking around, others driving in jeeps with tarp wrapped over boxes. With blaring lights, both illuminating the compound and searching the grounds, it was hard for her to imagine this as once a space facility, friend to the Power Rangers; to her all it was, all it seemed to be, was a military compound.

She turned to glance at her companions and saw the intense look upon Billy and Tommy's faces as they watched the guards, the gears in their heads whirring away all but visible to her. In contrast Tsuki's expression was far more serene, her crimson eyes scanning all of the area, her head whizzing around from gate to skylights to along the wall surrounding the base and into the darkness beyond it; Kira was at a loss what any of them were thinking but was less than surprised to hear Tsuki speak up first, though what she said was a bit surprising. “Look.”

The non-ranger woman pointed and all three turned their gaze in that direction. It was hard to make out in the darkness created by the wall blocking out the light from inside, such a stark contrast that it made it difficult to see; at first there seemed to be nothing but then they caught it; a figure, pulling itself up it seemed to the edge of the wall right in time for the searchlights to separate from that spot before slipping over. No one spoke for a moment, and Kira didn't realize she was holding a breath until she had to let it go and looked to the others.

“What....” she wanted to voice it but it seemed obvious it was what was on their minds.

And words were not the boys seemed interested in; like a bullet from a gun both picked themselves up and rushed out, barely avoiding some light of their own as they ran over to the wall. Kira blinked for a moment in shock before feeling Tsuki grab her wrist and heard her hiss out “come on!” before dragging her along after their companions. Kira's heart raced again and she threw herself against the wall just as a guard glanced over where she had been; she could feel the blood rushing to her ears and tried not to gasp for air, knowing very well this was far from the ending.

The wall was much taller when standing next to it and Kira was left wondering, just as her friends were too, how that figure had gotten over it and made it so easy. Tsuki clicked her tongue and pointed again, this time towards a tree, one of the branches hanging rather close to the wall itself; a low whisper escaped her this time, “We can use that.”

An agreeing nod and the three ex-Rangers and one ally silently made their way; Tsuki was the first one up the tree, a decision made unanimously without a word being spoken. Her idea, she was the first to try it out, plus her teleporting might get her to safety if it turned out bad; she swung herself up gracefully and Kira took a second to admire the figure she cut in the night, a sleek form delicately climbing up, up, up, and then across the branch, stealthy as a cat. She reached the end of the pathway, hanging close to the wall then, with one fluid movement, leapt, disappearing behind the wall.

Another second of silence, followed by similar movements by Tommy and then Billy. Then finally Kira herself; she pushed down any worry and fear she had and pulled herself up. The bark cut into her hands and she winced lightly but kept climbing until she reached the branch she needed, swinging herself onto it carefully. The balancing act was one she found annoying but not hard; the training returned again and she made her way across it easily, gliding over the overreaching branch only to freeze as a searchlight came dangerously close to her. She straightened up and held her breath, trying not to move, not even to quiver, until finally it slipped away, giving her the freedom once more to move, at which point she not only took it but went as fast as she could without fear of slipping.

The end of the branch was simple; without a thought she jumped, landing as her friends before on a pile of tarps, apparently into a section used for storage, cordoned off by piles of boxes. Tommy, Billy and Tsuki were all there, hiding behind some of the piles, along with a fourth.

The man, and it was another man, looked to not be much older than the others though there was something in his steel blue eyes that spoke of many more years; he was a bit scruffy looking but almost on purpose, a slight soul patch gracing his chin, his hair ruffled and a mess. There was silver to his brown hair but it too seemed deliberate, just two streaks in his bangs. His clothes were worn and obviously he had had them for a time, the colors of the jacket he was wearing starting to fade yet still Kira could make out the blue and silvers of it, and the words still clear. “Howling Wolf”. It took her a minute but it came back to her, a memory from years past, at a time when it wasn't a Ranger she didn't know that she was rescuing but one she hadn't even known was a Ranger, when her own mentor had been in danger; she had seen this man before then, in the archives and stories of teams past. 

And the name left her lips before she could stop herself. “Merrick...”

“Have we met?” the man asked raising an eyebrow and she shook her head.

“She saw you in my video diary,” Tommy said and Merrick Baliton, the Lunar Wolf Ranger, gave him an odd look.

“That is not important right now,” Billy spoke, frowning then turned back to the newcomer, “What are you doing here, Merrick?”

Merrick glanced at Billy and seemed to hesitate for a moment before furrowing his brow and looking forward again, past the boxes and out into where the guards and military types were out and about. “I need to find someone.”

“Someone from your team was taken?” Tsuki asked and the man nodded.

“Someone very important to me,” Merrick said and he frowned, “I was traveling when I got the news that Rangers were being picked up and taken away; I immediately returned to Turtle Cove of course, I wished to make certain my team was safe and sound.”

“And?” Kira inquired blinking.

He sighed. “I arrived in time to see them take away the Iron Bison of my team Danny; he....” there was a pause and the look on the wolf ranger's face caused Tsuki to once more move to try to be reassuring, touching his arm.

Merrick continued. “My teammate....my ex-teammate Taylor was helping the people who took Danny; I overheard her tell him something about this being for the best, that her superiors knew what they were doing. Danny looked so sad though and Kendall his wife was trying to get them to reconsider but they took him anyway. I also heard her say that he would not be alone, that they already had Max and.....and my sister.”

“Your sister?” Kira blinked again, surprised; there had been no mention of a sister in the video diary, though after what Tsuki had revealed about Andros it was seeming more and more like Tommy left out a lot.

Tommy himself seemed to know though and his eyes widened before stepping towards Merrick. “Ileana? They grabbed Ileana? But....” he stopped there and whatever he had been thinking he seemed either unwilling to voice or decided was not relevant; he shook it away and frowned, “I'm so sorry....”

“No worries Merrick,” Tsuki said and as he turned to her she gave a nod, “We'll get her back; we're here for Andros primarily but we're going to try and rescue anyone else we can while we're here.”

“Is that why you are here as well then?” Merrick asked and then looked at Billy and Kira, “What a strange group.”

“The lovely lady in yellow is Kira Ford, she's the yellow for my Dino Thunder team,” Tommy explained, “And the dork with the glasses is Billy, the blue tricera, and original wolf ranger,” he then chuckled, “Not counting your three thousand record.”

Billy held out his hand to Merrick with a smile. “Pleasure to make the acquaintance of a fellow wolf spirit.”

Merrick did not hesitate in giving a gentle smile of his own and taking his hand, shaking it. “Pleasure is all mine of course, Billy.”

“We still have a problem though,” Kira said and the other four turned to her; she pointed out, towards where Jeeps drove by and soldiers marched, “What are going to do from here? I mean I want to help Merrick too but with five of us...”

“We will stand out more,” Tommy said nodding and she did so as well; he bit his lip, “Good point, Kira, top marks; we do need to get through them and into the building.”

“I managed to swipe this from a guard earlier,” Merrick chimed in and pulled a roll of paper from his pocket.

Billy took it from him and walked back towards the tarps, smoothing the scroll upon the ground, letting the others gather around; it was a map, detailing what appeared to be the entire compound, complete with notes. Tommy smiled and looked at Merrick. “Man you rock.”

Merrick blinked then smiled as well, a bit sheepish. “Thank you?”

“Okay then,” Billy said and pushed up his glasses again, “It would seem there are multiple points of ingress open to us now,” he pointed at a few, “these are our best bets for the optimal chance of entering the main building.”

“So which should we take?” Kira asked glancing from the older ranger back to the map.

“Our safest choice would probably be the closest one,” Tommy said, “But that's gonna be tricky still.”

“Because there are five of us planning to try and get in?” Merrick offered up raising an eyebrow.

Tommy nodded and the wolf ranger did as well. “I should be fine going in alo-”

“No,” Tommy cut him off and frowned, “It would be too dangerous and since we have found each other, it would be in the best interests of us all that if we go in we go in together.”

“But we can't, five of us can't possibly make our way in without being noticed and caught,” Kira said with her own frown.

“She is correct,” Billy said, “Though I must also agree that we are also in danger if we go in separately; one of us being discovered could cause alarms to go out in other places and we cannot assist each other if we are not near each other.”

“So what do we do?” Merrick asked frowning, “I cannot simply have come this far simply to give up; Lana needs me.”

“I don't know,” Tommy said and ran a hand through his hair, “We can't stay together and we can't split up-”

“Yeah we can.” Tsuki had been quiet for so long and they had been so invested in the conversation that as her voice cut in all four were instantly silenced and turned their eyes to her, looking at the sole civilian among them. She blinked at the sudden attention then reached into her messenger bag, pulling out ultimately a box; Kira recognized it as the one she had taken from her room back at Tommy's house.

“We can split up if we can communicate with each other.” With that she opened the box and Kira looked inside.

It was velvet inside, and upon the cushioning was arranged six bracelets, almost like wrist watches. Kira heard Billy made a strange noise and Tommy gasp a bit, only her and Merrick seeming unaware of what exactly they were. Tsuki spoke again, her gaze specifically upon Billy as she did so, “I've had these for a while; I was going to return them when I fixed them up but....”

“What are they?” Merrick asked.

“They're-” Tsuki started.

Billy interrupted and reached out to gently touch one. “They're my communicators, the ones I invented, the first ones.”

Kira's eyes widened. The first communicators, legends when it came to Ranger tech; without them there possibly wouldn't have been a built in communicator to the bracelet where her Dino Gem had been, or the communicators used by Tommy's other teams. She turned to Tsuki, wondering exactly what this girl was but said nothing; there seemed to be a lot Kira was not aware of about her mentors.

“I never knew,” Tommy said and it struck Kira that even he didn't know; he looked up at Tsuki, “You got them working again then?”

She nodded. “They can't teleport of course but they should work as in their original capacity. We each take one and we can use them to keep in contact while we each take a different entrance; that is, we can split up but if we get into trouble or find something we can let the others know.”

“Brilliant,” Billy said and smiled brightly at Tsuki, causing her to blush some.

Tommy smiled too and nodded. “Yes, absolutely brilliant. So shall we divy up the entrances and communicators?” An unanimous nodding of agreement and they got to work.

The decision of who would go to which entrance was simpler it seemed than the task of who would take which communicator; it was decided that Kira and Billy would take the closer entrances while Tsuki and Merrick made their way to the two points closer to the front gates and Tommy goes through a rather irritating spot hidden away, a service pathway Billy reckoned. As for the communicators each still bore the color of their original Ranger and while Tommy wished to take Green, it seemed a consensus had been made that Red was the color he should take.

“You've been acting like the leader after all,” Tsuki said with a slight chuckle as the high school teacher made a sour look at the red communicator in his hand; it wasn't like she didn't understand why, Billy and Kira had both been there at the house when Jason attacked, but the choice seemed too appropriate.

He sighed and slipped it on ultimately, adjusting the grip some before turning to Kira, watching her look over the yellow and pink communicators. He smirked. “Take yellow; you might be a pteradactyl like Kimmy but you have more of Trini in you. She was the mother hen of our group too.”

“I am not a mother hen,” Kira said with a gasp of pretend shock.

Merrick chuckled now too and nearly missed it as Billy threw the black communicator to him. He did catch it though and blinked in confusion as he held it, staring at the genius.

“For your friend Danny,” Billy said with a kind smile, “Plus you strike me as the 'clever and brave' type.”

There was still some confusion but Merrick's expression softened and he murmured a thanks before slipping on the communicator, Kira doing the same with the yellow one.

“Tsuki, take the blue communicator,” Tommy said and as she looked at him he grinned, “You're the one who fixed up the communicators after all.”

“I am very pleased with the work you did,” Billy said nodding, “Though I will admit that you were never inadept in technological aspects.”

Kira thought it made sense and nodded her agreement, Merrick doing the same soon after. Tsuki herself said nothing for a second before finally shaking her own, “No, I couldn't do that.”

“But Tsuki,” Tommy started.

She ignored him and pulled out the blue communicator, holding it gently in her fingers; she held it out, looking directly at Billy and he stopped for a moment as she smiled and spoke, “We have a Blue, the best there ever was.”

Kira was half tempted to argue but then she saw the look on Billy's face. She did not know the man well; he had already been at the house when Tsuki and Tommy had brought her back from the concert and already hard at work on the force field that would ultimately save their lives later. He had not spoken to her much and he seemed rather serious to a degree, though there was amusement and a teasing light to his eyes sometimes; if nothing else though it was clear he was someone precious to both Tommy and Tsuki, that he was more than just an old teammate. And it seemed even clearer after their exodus, as Billy responded to the two's relationship, as Tommy comforted Billy, as Billy comforted Tommy, as Tsuki had held him in that broken lab, apologizing for not protecting the place he had called home.

What there was in his face was hard to describe and it was as hard for him to ever describe but there was clear sadness. And a feeling of being touched; he simply stared at her and then down, not at the communicator itself but rather the floor, his feet as quivering his hand reached out to take the old device, one of his favorites. The communicators had always been his favorites, inventions made for his friends, for the quest they had newly found themselves upon; they had been so full of hope, so much excitement, and maybe a little bit of luck. It hadn't been until Lord Zedd that they had actually broken, until the Rangers faced their first real major loss, and it wasn't until Zeo, full of pain over the things they represented, the things he had realized he could never have again and yet never knew he could truly miss, that he had given them over to Tsuki, planning to never look upon that past again. Only to have one of them, his communicator, his blue communicator, returned to him, and still be counted, to hear her words.

He tried not to cry, he ducked his head in hopes his glasses would hide the tears pricking at his eyes as he fumbled to secure it on, only to find the strap still perfect upon his wrist. His old friend. Billy fought to keep his voice steady, barely managing a loud enough voice to be heard, “Thank you Tsuki, it was not necessary though.”

“Yeah it was.” Her voice was clear, strong, and matter of fact; with a smile she reached in and grabbed the pink communicator, slipping it on before putting the box back into her bag, “Besides I'm more a pink; someone's gotta be the heart of this team.”

Tommy smiled and shook his head some before turning to look out again. “Alright then, we all have our assignments? Communicators on?”

A symphony of beeps, music to his ears followed by a group “Ready” before he grinned and nodded. “Right then, Rangers out then!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (WOO! So we have finally gotten to Angel Grove, Merrick is with us; who is Lana you might ask? Not my oc XD She belongs to my roleplay companion Ash (current url theheartsofheroes) on tumblr. Tsuki's mine though. Also I have a playlist for this fic now; if you wanna know it just ask X3  
> This chapter was originally gonna have the whole rescue too but as you might have noticed it is really long without it. So you all will have to wait until next time to see if they manage to get Andros out safely.  
> Anyway hope you enjoyed, please comment and tell me what you think and until next time, may the Power protect you!~)


	5. Adventures in Infiltration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which old (and new) friends are found, guards are heard, kicking happens and someone who knows better does something they shouldn't have.

Tommy already regretted splitting up. The entrance was not difficult, the space between their starting point behind the storage spot to his chosen point of egress turned out to be less about difficulty and more about simply not being loud as he did it. The guards were not especially vigilant and as he separated from his team to make his way in, he only came across a second of true worry as he accidentally knocked over a box and caused a crash that brought multiple personnel running; as they did he ran for the entryway and swung himself through the doorway and rushed down the dark stairs leading into the underground and into exactly what Billy had assumed: a service tunnel, complete with hanging lightbulbs that flickered and buzzed, connected by heavy wiring that led further forward into the distance.

No it was not the act of getting inside that left the ex-green with a bad taste in his mouth, walking quietly as he could manage down the pathway and finally, after what felt to be an eternity, through a door that brought him directly into the main facility, into what looked to be for the most part an employee lodge of sorts, empty at the moment. It was loneliness that made him stop for a second to take a deep breath and contemplate truthfully whether or not he should call up the others.

He stared at his communicator for a good minute or too, standing there with his finger hovering over the buttons to let him call up the other four members of his team, any of them, all of them. He knew he shouldn't, he knew that whatever it was that had him feeling such, like he was uneasy and unsettled, that it was just some point in his mind screaming out against the logic of not calling up his friends. They had had to split up; they were safer this way, and the communicators were for making sure if they did find anything, or anyone, they could talk to each other. Not because Tommy feeling odd on his own inside the NASADA building without Kira or Billy or Merrick or Tsuki there beside him; he was the original sixth man Power Ranger, he could handle being without a team. Though admittedly he had been a red too....and black....

Hearing footsteps he quickly moved, slipping under a nearby table and made himself as small as he could, listening.

“So you hear about wha' happen in Reefside?” said one voice, a low gruff sort of thing with the weight of years upon it, the tone of an man who had seen much and was waiting for a fight, not to hurt but to calm the flames.

“You mean the Rangers that ran off?” This one was softer, younger, clear with optimism and a scoff to his words akin to one who knew by second hand accounts; this was one who wanted a fight, and did not want to wait.

“Tommy Oliver,” said the first voice, a correction, that led on, “As well as one of his students and his girlfrien'.”

“I heard another Ranger was with them,” said the second, urging more.

A grunt and a sigh. “Heard tha' too; no one knows who though. 'Pparently they were seen running in tha forest but tha military guys lost track of them.”

“Or maybe that Jason guy let them get away.” Tommy felt some coldness in his blood. He understood and he knew that sort of thing would make sense; a Ranger would protect other Rangers, should protect other Rangers. But Jason didn't; Jason tried to bring them in. He had chased them, tried to catch them, had helped to bring in the others, had helped the government to capture other Rangers.

Jason had been there when Ethan had died.

He bit back all the words he could say, and wanted to say, and swallowed them all, along with a breath in hopes of staying unseen. The older voice seemed to scoff and grumbled as he spoke, “Yeah well tha' I know nothin' about but heard they migh' make their way 'ere.”

“Well bring it on I say,” his comrade said and Tommy could practically hear the excitement in the man's voice, “We never get any action around here anyway, not since the last shipment and that kid...”

The green ranger stopped for a moment and wondered what they meant by that; of course the shipment they mentioned, that had to be the Rangers who were caught and brought here, hopefully including Merrick's sister and other Rangers that his group could rescue tonight. And there was a flash of frustration...no anger, plain and simple, at the notion that they, living beings, humans, would be called a "shipment", like they were less than that now. But a kid distracted Tommy and made him stop for a moment and think what kid.

As his mind tried to filter through all teams he knew of, and if there were any who were young enough to be called a “kid” or had any kids, he missed the older one's response and the subsequent changing of subject to more mundane subjects. The return to the conversation left him with a sense that he might be there for a while and Tommy silently groaned, hoping this wouldn't take too long at least.

 

Elsewhere Kira was in minor shock. Her entrance had led her straight into the building and despite some quick stops that left her heart pounding in her chest, nearly crossing directly with wandering guards that by miracle or chance ended with her escaping notice, she managed to get to a zone devoid of any guards.

It was not devoid of people though; a large open space, perhaps once holding the large machinery and devices that a space program should have, it was filled now with large crates. In each one wall had been removed and replaced by what may be glass or perhaps clear plastic and locked doors, letting her see within a few of them bodies. Living, perhaps: breathing, probably: she heard a groan come from one and her head spun around to look at one of the nearest ones in which a familiar form lay upon the floor of their crate, dressed in old clothes that no doubt had been worn since the day she had been thrown in there.

Kira rushed over to the door without hesitation, leaning down with her hands against the glass with a frown. “Hayley!”

She did not know if the computer genius could hear her, it occurred to her that possibly she couldn't, but Kira didn't care at that moment; it was Hayley, alive if maybe not so well, one of her friends, one of her allies. Tears welled up in Kira's eyes without her thinking, moreso as Hayley lifted herself and looked at her with a pained look and she heard her old mentor's voice, strained and confused, “Kira?”

Kira nodded and Hayley forced herself to sit up, wincing as she did so. “Oh god...they grabbed you too...”

“No!” Kira exclaimed and shook her head, smiling weakly, “No, I-I came here with Tommy...Dr. O. He and Tsuki found me first, they saved me-”

“That's good to hear,” said the other woman and a soft smile crossed her lips, “I'm glad. Though that quite doesn't explain how you're here.”

The ex-yellow bit her lip. “We came here to rescue Andros.”

“Andros? Astro Red Andros?” Kira nodded. “Why?”

“I don't really know; it was Dr. O's idea, him and Billy's-”

“Wait, Billy? As in Billy Cranston, Billy, the original Blue Ranger?” Hayley frowned some as Kira nodded. “When did he get back? What is going on out there?”

Hayley's response to this news surprised Kira and she furrowed her brow, uncertain how exactly to answer that question. She hesitated in responding for a moment before finally speaking once more, “Billy arrived a little before I was rescued; I don't know exactly when. He was at the house when they brought me there. As for what's going on in the world outside...” She paused once more, thinking hard what she wanted to say before shaking her head. “It's weird; it seems so calm when you look at it, then there's the military that attacked the house, Jason Scott was there and he and Tommy nearly got into a screaming match. And we got here to find Billy's lab in tatters and this place is supposed to be some space program base but it looks like a discount Fort Knox...”

Hayley chuckled at that and Kira stared at her for a moment. The redheaded woman smiled. “It's nothing, just nice to hear some humor since I've been stuck here.”

A question bubbled up in Kira's mind but she couldn't bring herself to ask it. Hayley looked at her and seemed to read it in her eyes, in that way that Hayley always seemed to read everyone, because her smile turned sad. “It hasn't been fun. Though I guess why would it have been considering. But....we never expected them to actually come after us; we never thought...”

She became quiet for a minute and Kira put her hand on the glass again, wishing she could hold her old friend, to be close, to not simply have to sit there with Hayley looking so sad. The woman shook her head though, as if to shake the sadness off and spoke more, “He died helping me, Kira. Ethan I mean. He....he told me to run, to take the back way out; I tried to argue but he kept telling me he wasn't a kid anymore, that he could handle himself and....I ran.” Regret and Kira shook her head.

“It wasn't your fault,” she said.

“I remember hearing the front door get kicked in and yelling and screaming and a lot of different voices but there was so much blood pumping through my ears that I couldn't separate them out,” Hayley continued and closed her eyes, pulled away; her hands sat in her lap and fingers clenched around the fabric of her jeans as she spoke, tears welling up, “Then I heard the gunshot and I froze; that's probably why they caught me to tell the truth but I couldn't bring myself to move when I heard it. It sounded like thunder and I just froze. I guess...I guess that just goes to show the difference, between a civilian like me and a Ranger like you, between a mentor like me and one like....well.” Hayley laughed, a bitter hurt sound, a broken sound as she wept. "Tommy wouldn't have been so weak, I'm sure of that, and Billy probably would have never left Ethan behind. And you and Conner; you both would have done anything to protect your friend, your team. Yet me, brilliant MIT educated computer savy me, all I could do was run and hide and listen in terror as they killed him. I couldn't do a damn thing as someone important to me was shot and killed, not a single thing."

Kira was silent for a moment, not sure what to say or do after hearing that; she didn't even know if there even was anything she could say to that. She wanted to comfort her but something felt sour in her mouth as the words even tried to form, not because of some bitterness towards Hayley but for the simple fact that those words might never be enough to soothe the pain within her old mentor's soul. Instead she let her eyes turn to the door and the locks upon it and she stood up, trying to get a better view. It was electronic, of course it was, and she wondered if maybe one of the others could disrupt it. “Hayley, can you tell me what kind of thing I'd have to do to break this lock?”

“You can't,” she said with a soft sigh, “Believe me, I've looked it over countless times since I've been here and it's clear it is not going to come undone easily,” she turned her face to look at Kira, “You'd need to get into the control room for this section to get it open.”

“And where is that?” Kira did not plan on leaving her friend here; the plan was to rescue as many people as possible, if possible. She glanced around the other crates, these makeshift cells, and wondered just how many of them they could get out of them; Andros and Merrick's sister seemed to be givens, and they should try to save as many people as humanly possible. But they couldn't even go in together, so how would they get a bunch of people out safely?

Still, she told herself, biting her lip lightly as Hayley seemed to hesitate and search the ex-yellow's face for something, some understanding perhaps or rather chance to disparage her from this task; still I have to try, the young woman thought to herself as she stared the older woman in the eyes, we have to try. A Ranger never gives up; more than the fighting, the power, the courage Hayley seemed to believe was inherent within them, the sense of right and wrong that so many seemed to be questioning now, it was that simple fact that Kira knew defined them before all others. A true Power Ranger never gave up and nor would Kira.

Finally after a moment of silence Hayley gave a sigh and smiled, wiping away the tears finally, a spark of light returning to her eyes. “Once a Ranger always a Ranger huh?” The comment made Kira flush a bit before the woman continued on, “The control room shouldn't be too far from here, just down the hallway past the last of the cells and to the right; there will be quite a few guards around it though. Will you be okay?”

Kira touched the communicator on her wrist and smiled lightly before nodding. “Yeah I should be. Just hold on okay and we'll get you free in no time.”

“I can't exactly go anywhere currently,” Hayley responded and watched as Kira rushed off down the path, not seeing her fingers play with the buttons on the communicator.

 

Billy had also managed to get inside only to be surprised by finding his path quickly crossed by Merrick. In all truth the two ex-rangers nearly crashed into each other as they came in from two separate ends of a four-way hallway; it was ultimately a combination of Billy's sharp observational skills in seeing Merrick first and Merrick's honed reflexes in stepping back seconds before the possible collision that had prevented it.

For a second in time both simply looked at one another, Merrick wondering how exactly from two points of entrance they had managed to meet up here, Billy calculating the possibilities and what sort of turns Merrick theoretically had to have taken to reach this point as well; the second was broken by the former speaking, “So what now, Billy?”

“It would seem as if we both successfully infiltrated the facility,” Billy responded and continued to think, “Based on the evidence I could then make the educated assumption that our comrades have done the same.”

“Which is?”

“The static status of the security around us. Since our intrusion into the compound we have not perceived any sounding of alarm, nor any increase in personnel in the areas; this hallway for one is currently occupied thus far by merely my presence and yours. In addition our communicators have remained muted, which to me appears to be a sign of lack of necessity and thus lack of need of assistance.”

This seemed to make sense to Merrick and the wolf warrior nodded, the two continuing down the hallway together now. Billy for his part found his attention all over the walls, and most notedly the lack of visible surveillance; where the cameras so small they were borderline invisible? They seemed to still be in the clear as of now, still no sign of any guards even as they got further and further within, no sound of alarm or noise at all; it was quiet, dangerously so, and Billy wondered what it meant for not only them but their friends.

“They should be fine,” Merrick spoke and Billy was startled by the noise, turning his head to look at him; Merrick smiled, “You are concerned about the others; it is clear upon your face.”

The scientist rubbed his head awkwardly. “I apologize.”

He shook his head. “No, do not do so; it is perfectly natural to be concerned for your friends. I truthfully find it a comforting sight after everything that I have experienced up to this point.

“I must admit to being startled when you four fell from the hole to where I was,” he continued on and Billy looked to him, watching him as the Animarian spoke, “I did not expect anyone else....to be here.”

The connotation was clear and Billy bit his lip. “Was it really so lonely on the way here from Turtle Cove?”

“Yes.” His voice was clear and his answer was quick and unambiguous. “After what I saw happen to Danny I made my way here as quickly as possible, I wanted to find Ileana and maybe help Danny and anyone else I could. But....there was no one else on the road to this place; merely words and rumors, and there were so many that before I met you four, I had started to think that perhaps maybe there were no more free Rangers.”

The thought, voiced aloud by Merrick, made Billy take a deep breath. He had thought it himself honestly, multiple times since the more recent events that brought him here, but voicing them, that felt as if it could make it real. Made it true. But Merrick was free and had been, and they had been able to find one another; even with the words out there, and all the people who seemed against them, Billy told himself that if one escaped and survived....

“There must be others still,” Billy said and gave a short nod, to which the ancient Ranger responded in kind.

“Indeed,” Merrick spoke and put a hand on Billy's shoulder, “We cannot be the only ones left free after all. Perhaps when everything is said and done here we could go and find them, try and come together in some way.”

A smile crossed Billy's lips and he chuckled lightly. “Yes, perhaps...”

There was silence between the two for a moment before, just as they reached the ending of the hallways, both of their communicators went off at the same time; a familiar ring to Billy, a six note tune that both made him smile and his heart to nearly explode, sounded off and both boys stepped back quickly in hopes it went unheard otherwise. At the end of the hall was a large space, open and clear, and Billy was unsure if it was paranoia or reality that convinced him that the twin chimes had rung and amplified within the acoustics of the room.

Merrick looked to Billy for instruction and the ex-blue by instinct clicked the side buttons, causing him to do the same, before speaking, “Billy here.”

“Merrick is here as well,” Merrick spoke and they both waited.

Some static, light crackles that worried Billy for a second before a voice; it was Kira. “Guys, I think I might have found something.”

“Really?” There was a second voice and Billy could tell it was Tommy's, almost a murmur but still clear.

“What is it?” Tsuki's voice chimed in, also soft, like a whisper; Billy wondered what the two were up and where they were that they might have to be quiet. He feared but at the same time trusted them both to be smart and safe. He didn't really have a choice otherwise.

“Well first I found Hayley,” Kira said and there was a sigh that Billy had to guess was relief.

“Hayley?” Merrick asked and looked up at Billy.

“A friend of Tommy, Kira and Tsuki's,” he answered, “She was a mentor to Kira's team, along with Tommy.” An immensely intelligent woman and someone that they were lucky enough to be able to locate it seemed.

“Yeah, she's in this big space with a bunch of crates,” she continued on.

“Let me guess, missing a wall, has some clear glass over the hole with a locked door, basically like makeshift cells?” Tsuki asked.

“Yeah, you found more?”

“Unfortunately. Go on.”

“Anyway I found Hayley and she told me about the control room for this area; I assume there's another one near the ones you found, Tsuki, but anyway, if any of you are nearby...”

“You want assistance with getting into the control room?” Merrick guessed, finishing her request for her; there was no immediate answer, nor for a minute or two.

“Yeah” finally came her response and Billy looked at Merrick for a moment.

“Where are you exactly?” Came Tommy's question.

Kira hesitated for a moment then the sound of movement, though in the connection it was hard to say who it was that was moving. She answered though, “Not sure; there's a sign that says 'East Control Room' but that doesn't really say much about where outside of, you know, the obvious.”

Merrick frowned and looked to Billy for the moment. The ex-blue was silent for a moment, contemplating; he then nodded before speaking, “I am currently with Merrick; we can likely arrive near you within a short amount of time, if that is agreeable.”

“You guys got this then?” Tommy asked.

“Affirmative,” said Billy.

A crackling like laughter then shouts through the communicator and a soft cursing before Tsuki spoke, “I trust you guys. Got to go.”

Her line went dead and Billy furrowed his brow in concern. There was a noise over the communicator and Tommy seemed to go quiet as well; Kira spoke once more, “I'll see you guys soon.”

Then she too was gone and the two looked at one another. Merrick nodded, watching him carefully, noticing the concern plastered on the genius' face. “If you would prefer we could go look for Tsuki.”

“No,” Billy said carefully and sighed, fiddling with his communicator for a moment, half embarrassed that he was still so easy to read, so simple for others to know what he was feeling even if they didn't always understand him. At the same time he knew he couldn't allow those feelings to affect what he knew he had to do, and he knew what that was right now, “I am certain that wherever her current location within the facility, Tsuki can tend to her safety needs and respond to any difficulty as necessary and appropriate.”

The ancient warrior's expression did not say he believed Billy, and Billy would admit he did not fully believe it himself but he wanted to. He started off again, followed closely by his fellow wolf. “Come; Kira still requires our assistance. Let us locate the eastern control room.”

 

Tsuki took a deep breath and quickly teleported, reappearing on the top of one of the crates in the room; leaning over the edge she saw the forms of the two guards who had been following her run by. It seemed Jason hadn't yet informed anyone of her abilities yet, a good sign she supposed, and a sense of relief came over her. One good thing she supposed.

Her entry had not been easy; she had been as careful as possible but all the luck, unbeknownst to her, had gone to her friends. Coincidence and fate had conspired against her and before she knew it she was being chased by two burly men; speed, luck and her power were ultimately what saved her and kept her a step ahead, or two. The communicator conversation had happened at an unfortunate time, right as she had previously escaped but instead gotten her almost caught again; it wasn't her friends' faults, she didn't blame them, but it had made narrow her escape from her pursuers. If they had seen her teleport, she'd have been in more trouble, this she knew for certain.

She stopped for a moment and waited, continuing to watch and to listen. The girl did not plan on leaving her perch, not until this time she was sure, unless she could know she was safe this time. The sound of footsteps, the grumbly voices of the guards as they searched the room for her; they stopped right in front of the crate she was on top of and she peered over the edge as she witnessed one, the larger one, bang on the glass wall of the makeshift cell. The guard sneered and spoke, “Hey wake up!”

No response; he slammed his fat fist against the glass, harder this time. “Get up, you lazy little-”

“Give it up,” grumbled his partner, “Kid's been out like a light since yesterday.”

“Lazy bums,” said the first but withdrew his hand, the look on his face seeming to Tsuki to be a mix of disgust and resignation.

She tilted her head but stayed quiet, did her best to stay hidden unseen and unheard; watching the men, she felt anxious but she bit that back, refusing to let it come out in any way it might push her to make herself know, and wishing, hoping that they would disappear soon without looking up. By now her friends were probably already on the way to the control room; if there was an eastern control room it stood to reason that there would then have to be other ones. Tsuki wondered if one was perhaps near here and what she might need to do to get inside. Likely guarded, something relatively speaking she would have an easier time in dealing with compared to her friends. A glance around the room she was in gave her no clue to exactly where it theoretically would be but the room was large and the crates were all about, blocking portions of the lower view of the room. A map could help; no, a map would certainly help but she wasn't too sure how to get one. One look downwards, where Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dummer were standing below still, looking for any sign of her. Pickpocketing was not her forte, and she couldn't easily see where they might have maps if they did have them on her. It occurred to her maybe there was one on the wall somewhere, places usually had that sort of thing right? They didn't honestly expect to be broken into, not by one person and not by five, so it seemed possible at the very least that they would have layouts somewhere on the walls to help people find their way around the large building.

“Come on.” One of the guards gestured and started off, his partner hesitating for a second before following suit. Tsuki blinked and watched as they walked off, down the path between the crates and turned past one, out of sight, not quite out of mind but certainly out of her hair. For now at the very least.

Tsuki did not move, not for a minute or so; paranoid or cautious, it didn't matter which but she was not about to jump down and end up being seen for a third time because she was too impatient. The minute passed, then another, and no sign of return. She was careful, and as quiet as she could be, but she finally got down off the crate. The red eyed woman stopped to look over at the resident of the cage she had been hiding above and who the guard had been attempting to accost.

It was a boy, and a young one at that. He was probably no older than a senior in high school, and he was no one she knew. One of the Rangers she knew little or nothing of perhaps? This was possible but unlikely, not with Tommy's information network, and yet something felt off about him, strange. Her fingers tingled and she became aware that the sensation that started to come over her in that moment was familiar; it was the same as when she teleported, when she accessed her powers and transferred her body, mind and soul, suddenly connected to another spot, the buzzing of air and the weightlessness of space before returning to the gravity of a place.

She examined him harder. Asian, dark hair, well built, something that a Ranger would likely be, but beaten up; his clothes were torn up, still easily able to cover his body but still not particularly in the best state. There were bruises, and scratches, and cuts, and a particularly bad gash on his cheek that had every bit of her caretaking brain itching to get to him; he was dirty and he was laying on the ground in a pile that made her fear he was dead but no, she could just barely see breathing. Whatever had happened to this boy, whatever had been done to him, it wasn't good.

Her attention went to the lock next and she narrowed her eyes; nothing obvious of how to open it and she cursed lightly before hearing a voice, soft, scratchy, almost unnoticable. But the familiarity made her heart race. “Tsuki?”

The girl turned and looked around her, trying to pinpoint the source. It took her a minute; a few crates away, just barely visible from the angle, she could see familiar bicolored hair and Tsuki ran over. “Andros!”

The Kerovian has seen better days, this much was obvious to her; like the other boy Andros was pretty beaten up, dried blood adding a third color to his blond and brown colored hair. He was conscious though, a cursory glance over his person made her smile as she saw his Astro Morpher still firmly attached to his wrist, though that arm tucked under him in an protective manner, and it hurt her almost more to see the concern on his face; he was not happy to see her, not like she was to see him, to know where her friend was and that he was still alive. Still her own happiness was offset by the state of him; yes he looked beaten like the other boy but at the same time to say it was in the same way would be an understatement. His past was obviously not unknown to those who worked here and the parts that reacted to the stranger also called out towards Andros, wanting to tend to the injuries inflicted on the red ranger.

“Tsuki,” he said and his voice was so hoarse, it almost made her wince, “Why are you here? What is going on?”

“We came to rescue you,” she said and looked over his lock too, starting to fiddle with what she could get to; it seemed to be ingrained into the glass itself and highly advanced.

“We?”

“Tommy's here too, as well as Kira and Billy, oh and we picked up another ranger, his name is Merrick.”

The frown already on Andros' face deepened. “You all came here...for me?”

“Well you and anyone else we could find here; Merrick's here for his sister but primarily? Yes rescuing you is the main reason we arehere,” she said and bit her lip before turning her gaze back to him, “You happen to know where a map is? I assume your cell is connected to a control room?”

He paused for a moment then nodded slowly, the pain it incurred not going unnoticed by Tsuki; seeing him wince and put a hand to his neck made her feel worse. “Andros...”

“When they threw me in here I saw one on the wall; it's over by the main entrance to this room,” he said, another pause happening before he continued, “You shouldn't do this; it's dangerous.”

“You're my friend, of course I'm gonna want to help you,” Tsuki said with a smile.

“And the others?” Andros searched her face; she knew what he was looking for there and she gave him a smile, friendly and open.

“Tommy stood up for you, you know,” she said softly, “When Jason came to find us, when he attacked the house; Tommy told Jason that you're a Ranger just like they are, that you did what you had to, that what happened was no excuse for what was done to you. And Billy didn't have a simple argument against why we should retrieve you from this place. Kira only really knows what me and Tommy have told her about the past events, about Zordon and what happened, and as I said Merrick is mainly here for his sister.”

He didn't respond and Tsuki turned around, looking about; she wasn't too sure where the main entrance was supposed to be but she supposed there was nothing to do but to look. “I'm gonna go look around; just sit tight 'kay?”

There was still no response; she wondered what it was he was thinking, what it was that was going through Andros' mind as he processed what she had said. The girl started off, walking towards one end of the room. Once she had reached it, having found a pathway but no map in clear sight she started to walk along the edge, hand brushing against the wall. Was it that Andros was surprised? She knew how many Rangers saw him, she knew how many spoke of him; Power Rangers had never before and not since had to do what he had, not even close, and as she had told Kira, not many had been able to see the necessity of the act. She didn't know much of the Forever Red incident; Tommy never liked to talk about it and Andros hadn't been very willing either, and that ultimately was fine by her. Tsuki knew though that after everything was sad and done, the Red Astro Ranger had been left alone for the most part. Was it then a surprise to hear that Tommy, the man who had been a part of so many teams, to some the epitome of Power Ranger, would be on his side? That Billy Cranston of what was the first known Power Ranger team had seen no problem with rescuing the man who killed his mentor? That a newer generation of Power Ranger had never been taught to see him as anything less than a fellow Ranger and that he was to them worth putting their lives in danger to save? She hated to think of Andros of thinking lowly of himself.

It didn't take more than a few minutes for her to finally find the map; it was pretty rudimentary, obviously made and set up in a hurry. Similar to the “cells” she supposed. Labeled on it were many things, the eastern control room that Kira had gone to and Billy and Merrick planning on meeting the yellow at and help out with, the various entry ways they had actually all come in which explained to her how she had managed to get seen, a mess hall near the middle of the facility, a bunch of rooms with various labels like “office” or “storage”. And two of interest; the first, and more important at the moment, was “western control room” and according to her own mental map was just down the pathway she had found first in this room. The second was one that caused her to remove the map from the wall, incidentally ripping the paper some but not enough to affect it by any considerate extent; she shoved it into her pocket and headed back towards the other entryway. She took a semi-shortcut, stopping by Andros' cell and telling him what she was doing; in the way to the hall she passed the first cell, the one with the mystery boy and she glanced in, No movement; she frowned then shook her head and bit her lip. She decided she definitely had more than one person to let free.

 

Kira's and Tsuki's ingresses to their respective control rooms were very different; as the ex-yellow made her way down the hallway, stopping as she heard the sound of footsteps only to see Billy and Merrick appear down one end, she was faced by exactly what Hayley had spoken of and more. There were more than a few guards around the control room and the new trio stopped to look at one another, trying to figure it out.

The final choice, suggested by Merrick and baring no argument was thus: the wolf warrior, rushing out from their surveying spot around the corner of a crossroads in the hallway, yelled and drew the attention of the guards. Who in true fashion of guards yelled back at him and came running right at him, at which point Merrick ran down the hall, away from the branching path that the others were standing in; Kira and Billy both held their breath and flattened themselves against the wall, trying to make themselves as unseen as possible as the group of roughly eight or so guards, an inconspicuous amount of guards in Billy's mind, ran by. And when finally they were gone, and the two could just barely make out Merrick's voice, yelling and taunting, both hurried down the hall towards the control room and made their way inside. Kira was surprised to tell the truth that it was unlocked but supposed maybe they never expected eight guards to be tricked like they were.

As for Tsuki it was far easier; there were as many guards to the one she found as Kira's. Eight men and women, all wielding guns and looking rather bored; the news of the intruders were still not spread she supposed, which considering she had been seen was a bit troubling to her. Was this what their government agents were, the people the populace paid, careless enough to not make sure when an intruder is found to inform their fellow guards in some way of the situation? What shoddy security work.

Still she was far from worried; a moment's concentration and a deep breath found her past them and in the control room itself. She stopped for a moment, putting a hand on a nearby chair as she tried to breath. It was starting to hit her; after all the usage throughout the last 24 hours, not to mention the teleport from the forest near the house to the middle of Reefside. Her head was starting to spin and a headache was starting to set in. She tried to focus; she had a job to do, she had a mission to accomplish. She had found Andros, the primary reason for coming here, and Kira had found Hayley which was definitely excellent news, and there was no telling who else they might be able to find and recover if they just opened up the “cells” and looked.

All four though were faced with a new challenge upon getting within the control rooms: the finding of how to actually accomplish that last thing. Kira and Billy split up once within the albeit small room, taking a look at each device and button they could find; in the western room Tsuki was doing the same, humming tunelessly to herself as she tried to reason out which levers might open up Andros' and the boy's cells.

It was Billy who pressed the button ultimately and it was Kira who first recognized what the blaring lights and the screaming sirens meant. And it was Tsuki who screamed and got to watch, wide eyed, as the guards outside her room turned to look and saw her.

“Fuck” was the only thing she could think to say before quickly running her hands over every surface she could, flicking every switch, pushing every button and flipping every lever.

If Tsuki had even a minute to actually think, she might have thought the result was hilarious, as overhead sprinklers went off and the door started to open and close quickly, trapping two guards in it as they had tried to force their way through. The rest were trying to push past and Tsuki managed to barely suppressed snort of laughter at the dogpile that resulted; she allowed herself to smirk as she noticed something else and ran at them, watching the guards' eyes widen as she squeezed past them and through the small opening to one side of them, around and wiggling out of the reach of the other six guards before rushing past them down the hall.

“Fuck!” was their response and she ran as fast as her legs could carry her, doing her best to put as much distance as possible between them while returning to the room with all the cells. Andros in his looked up, frowning some; elsewhere Hayley did the same in her own and hoped that Kira was okay. 

Kira and Billy were also running, after doing something eerily identical to Tsuki, and before they knew it they found Merrick, kicking a guard in the stomach and sending them to the ground before rejoining their group.

“That was reckless!” Kira yelled at him, “You could have been caught!”

“Why are there alarms going off?” Merrick asked and Billy turned bright red, not wishing to answer.

The trio made their way back to the holding area and were glad to see that the cells were all open as they had been hoping for; Kira rushed over to where she remembered Hayley was, helping the older genius to her feet.

“Kira,” she said and looked at the girl, relief reflected in her brightened smile.

“No time, we gotta figure out how to get out of here,” Kira said, looking around, “Who knows how long it might take before more military types show up?”

“We must be expedient in our efforts,” Billy agreed nodding.

“But how do we get out of here?” asked Merrick.

They didn't hear the crackle of the communicators over the alarms but they did hear Tsuki's voice, strained and yelling. “Everyone, meet me in the central area of the facility; I know how we're blowing this Popsicle stand!”

That was all and Kira and Merrick both looked to Billy, who sighed and nodded. “I highly suggest we follow the instructions of that girl.”

The wolf warrior turned his attention back to Hayley. “Can you walk, Ms.?”

“I'll be fine, don't worry about me,” Hayley responded, rolling her arms slightly, “Follow me, I think I know where it is she meant.”

With that, and a notable limp, the older woman started off, the trio glancing at one another once more before quickly and without hesitation following.

 

Tommy wondered what it was that his friends had done that had caused all this; narrowly escaping the detection of a group of soldiers running down the hall he was in, he cursed slightly then continued on his way.

This was not the plan, though he had to admit he had never had a very coherent idea for what would actually happen once inside the facility. He hadn't expected to find Merrick and have him join them of course, and he hadn't really thought out that they would likely split up; he was worried about the others, especially when, after he had escaped the employee's lounge and had been in the midst of trying to locate where Andros might be, the alarms started going off and personnel seemed to be everywhere suddenly. He thought of Kira, who he assumed had been joined by Billy and Merrick, two people he thought were capable though he still worried about even a trio of them walking around, and he thought of Tsuki who was likely alone then; when he heard Tsuki's voice over the communicator he was relieved but his worry didn't entirely dissipate. He looked around him, the halls starting to look all the same with the adrenaline rush coursing through him and he frowned. “Where the hell is the central area?”

The paleontologist choose to follow the guards; it seemed troublesome but it occurred to him that if they were going towards the control rooms, they might end up passing through said area. Not the best logic he supposed but it was what he had right now. A deep breath and he ran towards where he had seen them going; he made sure to be careful though. He knew this was dangerous after all, hence the problem with the logic, and while he had handled stressful, dangerous situations before, he knew he couldn't treat this the way he had before. He couldn't just fight his way through; this had to be as nonviolent as possible, they had to try and not give the government more reason to think of them as a physical danger. Who knew what they might do after all, if it got out that the Rangers who snuck in beat up a bunch of guards, if those in power had the excuse of “they got violent and we didn't” however correct or incorrect that might end up being. They needed to be able to escape with as few problems as humanly possible. He supposed though, considering the alarms, that things might be past that point already....

His thoughts were interrupted as he bumped into someone and his instincts kicked up, moving to jump up and ready to fight.

“Tommy, calm down.” He blinked for a moment as he looked at the person. Andros was standing there, giving a semi-confused, semi-tired look, carrying a stranger on his back, a kid that at once both made him wonder who he was and remember the conversation he had overheard. Beside them was Tsuki who too was carrying someone piggyback, also unconscious; Tommy took a moment to recognize the woman with her two gold streaked bangs, looking so young yet he knew her true age was far greater than it seemed.

“You found Ileana?” he asked eyes wide.

“She was in one of the cells near Andros,” Tsuki said and shifted the sleeping woman carefully, “Merrick will be happy.”

“Can we continue this conversation later?” Andros said before Tommy could, frowning, “We have guards after us and it would probably be for the best that we get going.”

Tommy nodded quickly and took Ileana from Tsuki, holding her bridal style in his arms. “Lead the way.”

A smile crossed Tsuki's lips and she went off quickly, unburdened as she was now by the added weight of the Animarian; Andros and Tommy followed as quickly as they could.

Neither man spoke as they moved and Tommy took the chance to look over Ileana and wonder. The woman didn't look like she had gone through much, not like Andros and the boy on his back; she was relatively untouched though Tommy noticed the rope burns on her wrists and he frowned. “Was she tied up?”

“She kept fighting back when they brought her in,” Andros answered and they took a turn, “I think they had a hard time actually grabbing her because her hands were tied up and they only removed them after she tired herself out trying to break her way out of her cell.”

“Of course she was trying to break out; she was locked up in a cage,” Tsuki said darkly and she was frowning, making another move down a side hallway and Tommy watched her carefully, “And Jason probably put her there too...”

His heart sunk. He had no answer for that. Silence fell again between the group, though the alarms were still blaring and Tommy was starting to wonder how much further it was, holding Ileana close and careful in his arms, as they reached the end.

He was startled by what he saw and as Kira and her group came in from their own pathway, Billy's eyes widened and Merrick blinked for a moment. Andros froze before stepping forward, silently, almost hypnotised and he spoke, “My ship...”

The central area was massive and it occurred to Tommy that he recognized it now; this was the warehouse from the Forever Red incident, where he had met up with Andros and the other reds so many years ago. And as then, once more, the spaceship known as the Astro Megaship stood parked before them; of course it was different now, there hadn't been chains and hooks attached to whatever the military could find to attach them on the alien ship, and there hadn't been bunch of machinery, lifts and the like around it, makeshift computer stations with empty chairs only feet away from it. The whole large group met in the middle and as Billy rushed over to one such station Merrick turned to Tommy and exclaimed, “My sister!”

“Tsuki found her apparently,” The ex-green responded and handed Ileana off to her brother, the young woman never once waking.

Merrick held her tenderly and he hugged his sleeping sister to him tight as he closed his eyes and murmured to her. “I am so sorry Ileana, I should have protected you better.”

“Something wrong?” Tsuki asked Billy, noting the way his expression seemed to darken behind his glasses.

Andros walked over with her and the others as Billy spoke, “They are attempting to find ingress to the information banks of DECA, primarily the navigational intel.”

“Navigational intel?” Merrick asked frowning.

“They're trying to read my ship's navigation records?” Andros asked and moved closer to try and read the screen as well; he seemed confused for a second then paled as realization dawned over him, “No...”

“What?” Kira questioned, looking to the Astro Ranger.

“They're looking for Mirinoi,” he said.

Merrick looked confused. “And what is Mirinoi?”

“Another planet, outside our Solar System; it's near the Lost Galaxy,” Tommy responded, “One of the other teams, the actual Lost Galaxy team, is stationed there,” he furrowed his brow, “One of which is your sister Karone, correct?”

“You never mentioned that Andros had a sister who was also a Ranger,” Kira said to Tommy; more and more she found herself wondering how much was actually left out.

“He also didn't mention that his sister Karone was actually for the majority of her life Astronema, the enemy of his team,” Tsuki offered up and Kira stared at Tommy in disbelief.

The ex-green cleared his throat. “Anyway why are they checking DECA? I thought they would have the coordinates for Mirinoi through the information from Terra Venture.”

“I erased all of the data on Terra Venture and Mirinoi,” Andros answered, frowning, “When I heard about their manhunt I had to; I destroyed every electronic trace of the space colony and the planet so that Leo and his team....so that my sister could be safe at least. I was not about to let anyone touch her ever again.”

No one responded to that and Billy started to type away quickly. His glasses started to sag but he didn't stop, a serious and intent look upon his face; Tsuki went over and pushed them up for him before regarding the screen again. “Science?”

“The prime attack is that of brute force; I am simply redirecting the strikes inversely, displacing the current target database, being as DECA, and enacting the supplanting of the central network as destination,” he said quickly, never looking away from the screen.

“You're turning their hacking attempt on them,” Hayley said her eyes lighting up, “Instead of the ship, you're making them hack themselves. Beautiful.”

There were shouts and footsteps could be heard, causing Tommy turn his head to look around with a frown. “Can you speed it up then?”

“I am nearly complete with my efforts,” Billy responded, frowning.

Tsuki frowned as well and directed her attention to the others. “Andros, Merrick, take Ileana and the boy inside; we need the ship started up and we need it quick. Hayley, Kira, you go with them.”

“What about you?” Kira asked.

“Me and Tsuki will protect Billy until he's done,” Tommy said nodding, “Then he can join you while we get these chains off the ship and keep the baddies at bay.”

“So we're taking the Megaship out of here,” Hayley said as Andros tapped away at the device on his arm, getting the loading dock open so they could get inside.

Tsuki nodded as the shouts got louder and she reached behind her for her blue bag. “Now go, we can handle this.”

Kira was tempted to argue but there was something in Tsuki and Tommy's faces that stopped her dead; Andros called out for her as the ship opened up for them and she hesitated for a moment, looking at the two then at Billy before finally and reluctantly making her way inside, calling back. “Be safe!”

Tommy chuckled and turned to Billy. The man seemed to be lost in his world and it honestly made him want to laugh; Tsuki disappeared from his side, no doubt starting what was needed to be done to remove the chains on the ship. The ex-blue tapped away at a computer as enemies were coming their way, the teleporter jumping about to get things done; Tommy took a deep breath and as the guards appeared, a massive wave comparable to the small army that had attacked his home. Yet with all this, the knowledge of time running quickly out, the dangers, the risks, he felt almost calm; it felt right to him in a way and he understood why. It made him smirk, a reaction he just couldn't resist. As he heard a few of them yell and point, seeming to realize what was going on, and Billy jumped up yelling “Done!”, he grabbed his friend.

“Good.” Tommy then threw Billy as hard as he could into the ship, making the mental promise to apologize later for if he accidentally caused Billy to get hurt. He turned back to their enemies, who froze up unexpectedly and he spoke to Tsuki, “Tsuki!”

“Almost done.” Her voice was weak, barely audible even as the alarms seemed to finally stop and he frowned.

“Get inside.”

“But-”

“Now!” he didn't like yelling at her like that but the sternness of a teacher seemed all that would work; she stopped and frowned over at him, ready to tell him off but she saw his face. She cursed, also noticing the forces against them; a glance told her how many chains were left, a quick calculation caused a second cursing but she jumped down from the crevice she had been holed up in, pushing the hook out of it she had been disconnecting and ran to the loading dock. She heard the ship come to life almost in time with her foot first touching the ramp; the red eyed girl was almost entirely inside when it started to move, lifting shakily and slowly.

“Tommy!” Tsuki called out, looking down at where he was.

He didn't respond or move; the crowd stared at the lifting ship, many with wide eyes, others simply stunned. One, the one who he had seen in the cafeteria, the one who he had thought had wanted a fight, pointed at him with anger and excitement in equal parts in his eyes. “Get him before he can get away too!”

Tommy smirked and listened to the sound of the ship straining against what chains were left, trying to get free, trying to fly. Still he wasn't concerned and as the guard moved so did he, causing a chain reaction; the whole force rushed, trying all to grab him, even get aboard the ship. Tommy jumped and dodged as much as he could, wincing as finally, to prevent the invasion of the men into the Megaship, he had to actually fight back. Kicking a few away he backflipped at the attempted retaliation, landing as it was onto the landing ramp; it started to lift, leaving him to think that perhaps the others became aware of what was happening. Or at the very least didn't want to have the bottom of the ship open while they were trying to fly out of there, it didn't matter to him which it really was, simply the fact that it was happening and none too soon.

He noticed a few had managed to grab hold of the ramp and frowning he let himself slide down some, trying his absolute hardest to control his descent; Tommy saw the look in their eyes, equally fear and anger, followed soon by pain as he gave each a swift kick to the face, forcing them off. He could barely hear their screams over the sound of the engine of the Megaship; it lurched as it reached the end of the chains length and the teacher yelled, “Book it!”

Tommy chalked it up to coincidence as the Megaship gave another much harsher lurch before the feeling of quickly moving, forcing him back against the ramp; it closed completely and he was left laying there, hands clenching at his sides as he stared up at the ceiling of the loading dock. The only sound he could hear now was blood rushing through his ears and the ship itself, then finally, after a minute, two, five, had passed, Tommy Oliver started to laugh a deep laugh.

Safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (WOO! Done XD The fifth...fourth.....WHATEVER chapter is here; any and all spelling and grammar problems will be fixed in time like all the chapters.
> 
> Ileana belongs to my friend Ash; go to theheartsofheroes.tumblr.com to see a proper picture of her and more information on this woman of animals
> 
> As for the mystery boy.....well if I said anything more that might warrant spoilers soooooo that's something for you to figure out XP For now though, I bid you bye-bi for now~ Next is From the Stars and then Two Sides. But hopefully at least you enjoyed this (16 Word pages long!) chapter X3)


	6. The Meaning of The Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost everyone is awake, resolves are renewed, hearts are broken, and a surprising event pushes the rogue team towards a new path.

There was a moment in time in which Billy was tempted to be upset at Tommy; it was when, after being picked up like a sack of potatoes and thrown into the open hangar of the Astro Megaship, the bespectacled ex-Ranger made contact with some boxes, slamming right into them. It was a very negative moment and he was left feeling sore and less than happy to tell the truth. But shortly after managing to get back onto his feet, a little disorientated admittedly from the impact, and dusting himself off some, Billy felt the momentary anger melt away to more important matters.

Namely making his way up to the cockpit, where Andros surely had to be to get this ship going. He looked around in search of the way further into the ship, barely taking note of the sound of footsteps; the shake of the ship though as it roared to life and nearly threw him from his feet once more, was much harder to ignore. He gave a slight yelp, soon answered by a familiar yelling “Tommy!” and his head turned to look at Tsuki, her attention still down below, where all the guards and his own old teammate still were.

The ship continued to shake as it rose and he rushed over, nearly tripping as he grabbed onto her arm and caught her attention; she turned her head to look at him and Billy frowned some. “Come on, we soon join with the others immediately.”

“But Tommy,” she tried to argue but did not resist as he pulled her away from the ramp, trying to get them to more stable sections of the ship, and ones where the chance of falling out into a crowd of people trying to capture them was much lower.

“He is Tommy Oliver; he will be fine.” And Billy did want to believe that, though he did fear for a second as they made their way towards the door and out into the first of many hallways in the ship, that he might not be. But the ex-blue quickly convinced himself otherwise; Tommy had to be okay. There was no allowance for otherwise.

 

The two were in the elevator leading up to the main control room, Tsuki's knowledge of the Astro Megaship proving more than a little useful, when the ship made it's final push against the chains and broke free; the force with which it moved caused the lights to flicker and the power to stop for a moment. Billy frowned as he looked up, not entirely sure what he felt about that; he found himself letting out a breath he had unaware of holding and a slight pressure against his shoulder. He turned his head again to see Tsuki leaning against him; her hair had fallen over her face and she was quiet, not moving immediately. A frown crossed his face and he reached down, brushing back her hair. Her eyes were closed but as she was still standing, simply leaning, he was certain she wasn't really asleep.

“Tsuki?” he spoke softly.

“Hnn,” she barely responded, continuing to lean.

The elevator stopped again and the doors opened to their destination; still she didn't move.

What he did then was more instinct and automatic muscle memory than anything else; with a swift, effortless sort of movement, he lifted her up, shifting her blue long bag onto her lap, one arm supporting the undercrook of her knees while the other held her from behind her upper back. She rested her head against his shoulder, one arm wrapping around his arm to better steady herself; he simply smiled and walked into the room without a backward thought.

Andros was fast at work at one of the consoles, a glimpse of his expression betraying the seriousness of this situation. Hayley was at his side, hands on the console as she discussed something with him just out of earshot of Billy; as she finished speaking Andros nodded and she made her way over to a different area of the room, her limp and strained movements not going unnoticed by the man. A further scan of the room revealed the locations of Merrick and Illeana, the former sitting in one of the chairs in the room with his still unconscious sister on his lap, a look of utter wonderment captured upon his face as he too seemed to be glancing around the room. Billy knew little of the other Wolf Ranger or his team but it occurred to him that his was the expression of one who had never come in contact with such things as this ship offered.

The absence of two others, the only other members of this group, stuck with him though and Billy opened his mouth to speak in time for the elevator to open once more behind him and his attention, and his alone, was pulled back towards it. Tommy walked in, taking one look around then at Billy himself before speaking, “Is she okay?”

It took him a moment to realize what Tommy meant; the action of picking Tsuki up once it had come to him that she might not have the energy to move any longer under her own power, that the events that had occurred thusfar and all the usage of her power within the short range of a day had drained her and it just had finally gotten her, that had been a reflex, an old trait from old days when things were easier. Or at least different. But the knowledge that it had taken hold without his realizing immediately what this looked like, and especially when it was Tommy who had brought it to his attention, caused a bright shade of red and heat to color Billy's cheeks. He cleared his throat and adjusted Tsuki, who barely opened an eye at the motion from Billy and sound of her current boyfriend's voice. “She was having significant difficulty with her equilibrium and could not properly ambulate so I decided to assist her.”

Tommy raised an eyebrow and was silent for a moment before a friendly sort of smile crossed his face and he reached out to gently stroke Tsuki's hair. “Dude, all you had to say was 'yeah'. But I always have liked that about it.”

With that he stepped away and towards Andros, his attention pulled towards screens and readouts; his expression turned serious, back to the matter at hand. He took a moment to take it in before turning back to the ex-Red. “Andros, what's our status?”

“We should be beyond the exosphere soon enough,” Andros answered brow furrowed, tapping away before turning to another screen, “I am not certain about the abilities of the government right now with the primary NASADA building the way it is now but them following us up here is not the biggest problem we have.”

“What is?” Billy inquired, making his way over.

“Well to start,” Hayley chimed in from her station, “The assholes who took Andros in tried to examine the Megaship. I say tried because the method they choose seems to be jackhammer; the engine rooms are barely working and the computer systems look like a three year old got access to all the passwords.”

“DECA?” Tsuki spoke softly, almost inaudible to the humans in the room.

Not to the ship though; there was a shriek like an excess of static, causing the room to collectively wince, before a familiar voice to at least two of them spoke, “Y-y-yes Ts-Ts-Tsuki.”

Andros' frown grew and he looked up, his expression a mixture of sadness and pure contempt. Tsuki moved a little and Billy let her while still holding her, the red eyed swordswoman turning her head to look up. “What did they do to her?”

“I don't know,” Andros said hesitantly, getting up and going to another station, pushing some buttons, pulling some levers and DECA's voice, stuttering and uneven as “she” tried to answer Tsuki's question “herself”, stopped, “Likely when they tried to hack the Megaship's computer it damaged her. In addition.....”

He stopped and he looked away guiltily. Tommy crossed his arms, catching it and spoke next, “In addition to what?”

Andros turned to Hayley who refused to look at them. “We had no choice; we weren't certain if Billy would be able to actually properly redirect the attacks and we don't know what else they might have done. Hell it's bad enough that they were even able to start hacking the Megaship; it's an alien spaceship for god's sake, and supposed to the top of it's line, and our idiot government was able to somehow break in? We had no choice...”

“What happened?” Billy asked now, getting a bad feeling about this.

“We shut down the majority of DECA's functions,” Andros answered.

“We didn't shut them down; we destroyed them,” Hayley corrected, causing Tommy to frown, “ _We had no choice_ , Tommy; apparently the ship is equipped with a last resort sort of measure in case it gets captured and we used it. A virus; it broke down all the functions of the ship except a few, putting them offline and incapable of being accessed by either those aboard the ship and those outside.”

Billy frowned deeply, his heart plunging; as someone who now had to depend on the ship to stay alive and free, it bothered him to know it was now rendered almost useless. But at the same time it was more than that. He knew the original Astro Megaship had been the primary Megazord for Andros' team and while he did not know if this Mark II was the same, it still pained him as a Power Ranger, even ex, to know a fellow (ex) Ranger and a (ex) mentor had damaged the processes of what might be a Megazord, especially after all the times he himself had had to watch his own Zords, his friends Zords, suffer because of enemy attacks. At the same time the scientist in him, the soul of inquisition and invention, fascinated as he was too by the sight of the alien tech that was the Astro Megaship, was hurt to see such a beautiful thing damaged like this. Especially before he could get a good look at it for himself as it had been.

He swallowed all that back though, every thought and pain, and tried to focus. The majority, most of them, he had to know what was left and he knew Tommy and Tsuki were probably curious as well. “What functions were left untouched by this final measure?”

“The general power to the ship for one,” Andros said and sighed lightly, “We can do some basic piloting though the ship can't move very well anymore; Kira went to check on the infirmary but I'm fairly certain the systems for the cryogenic chambers and medical equipment is kept in a secure network location and were purposefully excempt. She has that boy that Tsuki found with her. As for everything else, I can't say for sure without checking; DECA is currently at about,” he paused for a moment, looking at a screen before answering, “6% operating capacity. She can talk-”

“Barely,” Tommy interrupted and Andros frowned.

“But she's not able to access any records,” the ex-red continued and rubbed the defunct morpher around his wrist, “She is little more than an infant in terms of ability now,” there was a noise like grinding and then quiet, deadening silence and he bit his lip before checking things, “And we're outside the exosphere but the ship has stalled; it might take a minute to get things back up and running so we can move again.”

“Great,” Tommy said, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair. Billy watched him as the man paced some, looking frustrated. Not that Billy blamed him for that; they had managed to escape the people after them, for now, but the ship they were aboard was severely handicapped now. And there was of course no saying if and when the government would come up to try and capture them, and with the Astro Megaship and DECA the way they were now, there was a good chance they wouldn't get away next time.

Hayley finally was looking at them now and cleared her voice. “So we should probably get the ship going and get away from Earth sooner rather than-”

“No,” Tommy interrupted again, causing further frowns, “We are not going anywhere.”

“Tommy,” Hayley started but the man put up a hand.

“Andros, this ship has teleportation functions like the previous model right?” The ex-red furrowed his brow then nodded.

“Yes but the virus destroyed the primary controls for it; it's basically useless at this point,” he answered..

“What kind of damage did it do exactly?”

Andros looked at Hayley; she answered, “Basically an complete system wipe but more extensive; it not only wiped everything but scrambled the programming to the point of rendering them near impossible to repair. Only the functions Andros mentioned were spared.”

Billy winced and looked to Tommy who seemed to be thinking that over, nodding. “Right but only near impossible?”

“Tommy,” she said frowning and tried to walk towards him, holding onto the consoles as much as she could to steady herself as she did so, “It would take me months if not years to reverse the effects of that virus.”

“What about if you have two more computer geniuses to assist you?” His question seemed to take her off guard and she blinked for a moment before her eyes drifted. To Billy, still holding Tsuki in his arms; he smiled lightly, picking up on Tommy's meaning almost immediately and Tsuki gave a semi-wave.

The ex-mentor turned her gaze back onto her old friend. “Tommy....”

“I'm not saying immediately and I'm definitely not saying everything,” he said, “I just need the teleportation system back online.”

“Why?” she asked shaking her head, “Do you really want to go back there? Tommy, they want us locked up or worse, dead. We'd be better off just getting away from here, as fast and as far as we can get before they get their stuff together and come after us.”

“We cannot abandon the earth,” Tommy said sternly.

“They abandoned us!” Merrick looked up from watching over his sister, holding her to him as he stared at Hayley, joined in this by the others who were conscious in the room. Tsuki bit her lip and Billy shifted his feet some, not sure how to respond to that.

There was truth to that simple statement, Billy knew this well. His return to Earth had not been to some happy reunion with his old teammates, to a country that still saw the Power Rangers as “heroes”; he had almost been crushed in a cave-in, he had been hunted by one of his oldest friends, he had found his beloved laboratory in shambles and ran around a compound that once used to be the base of some of his greatest allies and now the place where his fellow Rangers were being imprisoned. He had been chased by guards, soldiers, and now here he was, standing aboard a broken down ship, holding a physically exhausted Tsuki, and in that moment, just looking at the others it hit him the complete state of things. Tommy's clothes were ripped and dirty, bits of leaves still stuck in his hair; he was still standing but it wasn't like Billy didn't see the way he too leaned against the console behind him. Andros and Hayley looked like they had gone through hell, the extent of their injuries, the horrid state of their clothing, and the lost and pained look on both of their faces, traced with anger and betrayal in the expression of the latter. Merrick's clothes were wore and while he seemed mostly devoid of damage, his sister was not so lucky; Billy could still make out the rope burns on her wrists, and her clothes were no less ripped up than any of theirs. Tsuki too looked exactly as she should after running through a forest, running from guards, teleporting so much she couldn't even stand up straight, and Billy knew he didn't likely look much better; he could see the cracks on one of his lenses, it was honestly starting to give him a headache and he didn't like that. There was not a member of them who looked to be in any way “okay” and he knew why that was, and why Hayley was so upset. Because he couldn't say that she was wrong and that hurt. Still, he told himself and glanced at Tommy before shaking his head; still....

“You are correct, Hayley,” Billy spoke and attention turned to him, “We have been abandoned; the people we once swore to protect, that we regularly placed our lives on the line to safeguard against danger, have now turned their backs to us and are content it would appear to allow for our incarceration and potential extermination. We are fugitives from the law and wanted for the mere matter of being who we are....were,” she nodded solemnly and opened her mouth to speak but he continued, subconsciously pulling Tsuki closer to him, “But still....we cannot abandon them in return, especially not in this situation. We may no longer be the beacons of justice and life in their eyes that we once were but we cannot allow fear and darkness to defeat us in this painful time. There are still those who believe in the light of the Morphing Grid, there are those who require our assistance still. We did not become Power Rangers to be perceived as saviors; we took upon ourselves the Power so that we could indeed be the protectors of that which we care about and that which we do not, equally so.”

Hayley blinked and there was silence once more; it was broken though after a time by a noise. A chuckle, erupting from the form of the science teacher standing with them; both looked to him and Tommy was smiling, the sort that immediately retrieved the image of a younger boy, a younger age. And that was what Tsuki and Billy both saw looking at him, a young man with far longer hair, dressed in green an somehow both weighed down more and far more light. He looked at his old teammate in kind and his eyes seemed almost to twinkle. “I couldn't have said it better; maybe simplier but never better.”

“We have a responsibility to assist those who still need us,” Merrick spoke up nodding, “As a knight of Animaria I cannot condone retreating even in this situation, not if there may be something else we can do. Though I am not sure what else there is at this moment.”

“We can get you guys the ability to teleport without having to use me,” Tsuki chimed in and wiggled a bit, Billy finally letting her down; she was wobbly on her legs, readjusting her bags, resetting the one to her back and reached out to hold onto his sleeve, Tommy simultaneously putting a hand on her arm to help her stand. She turned her head to look at him and she smiled gently back at him before letting go of Billy and standing as straight as she could, an act that made Tommy chuckle again; she continued to speak, “We'll need it if we're to make use of the data Billy and Tommy managed to save from the computers back in the Dino Lab, before it got....”

She trailed off and Hayley looked down. “I didn't tell them, I swear.”

“We don't think you did,” Tommy assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

She looked up at him and he smiled gently, an assuring sort; the elevator opened for the third time and this time Kira walked in, alone. She stopped for a moment, feeling the tension that still clung to the air and frowned, looking around. “Is everything okay?”

“Nope,” Tsuki said and the yellow looked bothered by that; she waved it off, “It wasn't to begin with anyway; how was the infirmary?”

This question interested Billy and Andros as well, in addition to Merrick who shifted Lana in his arms before Kira could answer. She rubbed her head. “Good; I can't say I fully understood most of what was in there but it looked mostly untouched so I assume it was left alone by the military types. I left the kid there on one of the beds; he still hasn't woken up.” Her attention was drawn towards Merrick then. “Looks like he's the only one....”

Merrick frowned and looked at his sister again before nodding solemnly. “It is concerning I must admit....”

“Let me see her again, Merrick,” Tsuki said and tried to walk over; her legs gave out below her as she did though and she fell to the ground unceremoniously.

“Tsuki!” cried three voices and while Andros stayed at his station, eyes wide in concern, Tommy and Billy both rushed to her side; the former helped her to her feet, the latter's hands twitching to do so but he forced himself back, remembering how he had reacted so immediately before. Tommy got her to her feet again and she winced in pain before pulling her arm away from him. “I'm fine....”

“You are not,” he said frowning, “Fine people do not collapse.”

“I'm just a bit weak; I used up a lot of energy using my powers,” she said sharply and stepped away from him carefully, Tommy watching her carefully as she slowly made her way over to Merrick.

For his part the wolf warrior watched her as well, the concern in his eyes though not seeming to be exclusively over her; there was a wariness and suspicion, not because he saw her as a danger but because of for who she was approached. She looked back at him and gave him a small nod before leaning down before him, reaching out carefully towards Lana. At first he pulled back, an immediate reaction that seemed to be more instinct than anything; quickly enough though he relaxed enough to let her touch Lana's hair. The red eyed woman looked at him for a moment more before turning her attention back to the sleeping one; she gently brushed back her hair, seeming to be trying to examine her. Carefully she opened one of Lana's eyes, checking it before letting it close again. She then removed something from her messenger bag, a small box, and opened it, looking through it. “Hmm let's see....”

“Is she okay?” Merrick asked hesitantly.

“Seems to be about the same as me,” she said then elaborated as she saw the ancient warrior's brow furrow, “Lana's physically exhausted, probably mentally too; it's no surprise really considering what I assume she had to go through. I have something that might be able to help, wake her up and everything though I can't guarantee anything.”

Tsuki removed a syringe and a small bottle from the box; Merrick looked at it and bit his lip for a moment before regarding Lana again. He didn't really know what to do about this, or if he should allow this at all. But he was worried and he didn't believe Tsuki would do anything that might seriously harm Lana. Ultimately he gave a short nod and Tsuki smiled back at him before preparing the shot.

In the end it took only a minute; she administered the shot with the expertise of someone used to treating others and after a few seconds of waiting, excruciating for Merrick as it was and far too long for all the others waiting and watching to see what would happen, Lana started to stir. It was just a twitch at first, a shifting, and then a light moan, confusion and grogginess mixed together in a hazy form in her eyes as she finally opened them and awoke. She saw Tsuki first and then her brother; it was his name she called out first, uncertain of what she was seeing. “Merrick?”

He though could not help but smile. He struggled to not hug her tight to him, wanting so badly to do so, to hold his beloved sister again but he told himself it might not be a good idea, that it might hurt her. Instead he nodded and brushed back some of her hair from her face.

The gentle motion seemed to put her at some sense of ease though the unfamiliar surroundings, closer to a Zord cockpit than anything but very different, made it hard to be entirely comfortable; she sat up best she could, wincing in pain at the motions and looked around hesitantly. “Where am I? How did I get here?”

“Aboard the Astro Megaship,” Tommy answered from where he was, “We rescued you from the military base in Angel Grove.”

“Rescued me?” she repeated and he nodded; she was silent for a moment, trying to process that. Her head felt fuzzy though, and her memories didn't feel like they quite fix together; she frowned and rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

“Where's Jason?” After the words left Lana's lips all the air left the room; a chill, akin to a bucket of ice throw on them all, entered and no one answered at first. Merrick continued to watch his sister but Tsuki turned to look at the others, specifically Tommy and Billy.

The latter was calm, or at least trying to seem so; he shook a little, though he couldn't decide for what purpose, whether because of the cold or for fear or perhaps anger. He didn't speak though, uncertain what come out if he did try to. The former though, the former was not under impression of confusion at why his fingers dug into his skin as he crossed his arms or why his expression darkened suddenly.

It wasn't him that answered her though but another, the even tone of Andros' voice sharpened to an edge that startled even him. “Definitely not here.”

It did not escape her notice though the way he reacted and Lana turned to the only face she really knew, directing her gaze back to her brother. “Merr, what happened?”

“What do you remember of the most recent events?” Tsuki asked Lana and the woman turned again.

She tried to remember, and then regretted doing so. She gripped the edge of her shirt tight in her hands. “The arrests you mean?”

“Arrests are one way of putting them,” Tommy said and Tsuki turned to give him a sharp look; he blinked and put his hands up in defense.

Lana frowned. “I heard about things of course; Jason was one of the first the government went to. He wanted to help them with getting things settled-”

“Didn't know that was what it was called when you break into people's places and take them by force,” Hayley mumbled and Lana looked at her, frown deepening.

“It's,” the Animarian woman started then stopped, hesitating for a moment, wavering, “It's only the ones who resist; this whole ordeal, it's for the benefit of everyone. The Rangers just....”

“Just what?” Tommy asked, “Just have to roll over and let themselves be captured, tied up, beaten?”

She bit her lip. “You don't understand....”

“What about those who have gotten killed?” the man continued, trying to keep his voice even and calm and struggling.

“That's why they're doing it,” she answered, “To help those who have been killed.”

“I don't mean just the civilians,” Tommy said, the words coming out just a bit too sharply, “I mean like Ethan.”

She didn't seem to understand and looked at him. “Ethan?”

“My teammate,” he said and again it came out too sharp, too much of an edge; his fingers dug in more, “He resisted when they came for him and they killed them; they shot him. Is that 'helping' him? Will that fix the damage that's been done in the past, bring that little boy back to life?”

Lana froze and it took her a second to recollect herself, shaking her head, feeling anger creeping in at the way he spoke to her, in response to his own. “Jason had nothing to do with that, he only wants to help.”

“Jason came up to my house, the house of a man who has been working as a science teacher for the last ten years, a man who hasn't been an active Ranger since then, with tanks and an army,” Tommy responded, “He gave the order to shoot me, to shoot my ex-student and teammate Kira, to shoot my girlfriend Tsuki; he helped them to destroy my house, to chase us through the forest in order to capture us.”

“I...I...” she stammered and shrunk a bit at first, “He had to have a good reason....you're Tommy right? The ex-Green of Jason's team; you're a legend after all, he just was trying to be careful in case-”

“In case what?” He interrupted.

“You're dangerous,” she said flatly and looked him in the eye, “He told me about you, about how you used to be evil,” Tommy flinched, “how you've been a Ranger so many times, more times than anyone else; dealing with someone like you, of course he had to be prepared for anything.”

“Jason didn't need fucking tanks to fight me when we were kids,” Tommy said blood trickling down his arm, “Why would he need them now?”

“He just wanted to be careful,” she said and shook her head, the fuzz persisting, feeling something was wrong, something was missing, but she was unsure what, “But Jason....I'm sure he didn't mean for any harm to come to you, any of you. He would never want anyone to die.”

“Well unfortunately people have, people who wanted to move on with their lives, people who just wanted normality,” he spoke, “And Jason is complicit.”

“Jason had nothing to do with your friend's death,” Lana said sharply.

“Jason Lee Scott was the one who shot Ethan James.” The matter of fact statement froze both combatants and they turned, as did the head of everyone else to the one who spoke.

Andros was facing them and the expression on his face, serious, quiet, seemed to denote no humor to his words, no joke or exaggeration. Lana and Tommy were both speechless and it was she who spoke first, her voice shaking slightly. “Y-you don't know th-that.”

“Yes I do,” he answered with no hesitation.

“How?” Hayley asked, sounding like all the breath had been sucked out of her.

“Because DECA hacked the security cameras and I saw it with my own two eyes,” he said to her.

“That's a lie,” Lana said though there was nothing behind it but desperation; her head hurt more and she winced, Merrick gently touching her head, speaking her name but she ignored him, “Jason didn't....he wouldn't....where's your proof?”

“Gone,” he said frowning again, “The virus destroyed it along with everything else; the tape is gone but I still saw it. I,” Andros paused for a moment, to breathe it seemed but Tsuki made her way over as she saw the tears in his eyes; he waved her off, with a gentle smile, before continuing, “I watched as the forces started banging on the door, as Ethan told Hayley to escape, as she tried to resist and finally left. I saw it as they broke down the door and rushed inside, as the soldiers started yelling before Jason started talking to Ethan, trying to get information from him. He demanded the data on Tommy's place, on the locations of other Rangers, a bunch of stuff,” he looked at Hayley who wouldn't look at him, “He wanted to know where Hayley was and Ethan....”

“He didn't give any of it up,” Hayley said softly.

Andros shook his head before turning back to Lana sharply. “Ethan was a loyal Power Ranger, better than Jason or I; he refused to give anything up, to betray any of his fellow Rangers. And he died for it; Jason tried to arrest him and when Ethan resisted, when he refused to talk and he refused to go, he got shot in the heart. And Jason was the one holding the gun that ultimately took his life.”

Tsuki bit her lip and Lana refused to look at Andros again. His words were damning and part of her wanted to believe it wasn't true, that Jason wouldn't do that, kill a fellow Ranger in cold blood like that. But the blocks in her head buzzed and she could swear she saw something in the static of her own messed up memories, heard voices, an argument.

_This isn't right._

_You're not okay, this isn't okay._

_Don't do this._

“It's not true,” Lana said and rubbed her wrists.

Billy noted and spoke, “Lana, you were tied up.”

“What?” she said looking up at him.

“Your hands were bound when you were brought into the base,” Andros said simply, “You kept screaming and trying to escape.”

“Wh-why?” she said and she pressed back against Merrick, “I-I....don't remember....ugh,” she put her hands on her forehead, her hair falling over her face, “It hurts so much, brother.”

“Lana,” Merrick said and tried to brush back her hair, “Lana....”

“I don't remember being....anywhere,” she said, “Why can't I remember? How do I know they didn't kidnap me? You probably....no,” she knew that wasn't true; it wasn't like the talk Jason. She knew what she said, what she wanted to say, wasn't true, “Merrick, it hurts so much....”

He frowned and looked at Tsuki. She shook her head gently. “The shot I gave her wouldn't cause memory loss. There is something else going here.”

“Merrick,” she whimpered and leaned against him, still holding her head.

_Don't do this, please._

_This is for the good of everyone._

_This is for the safety of everyone._

_It's for you as much as anyone else._

“Murder,” she mumbled, barely audible, tears forming in her eyes, “Murder....isn't for the good of anyone.”

“Lana,” Merrick said gently, looking at her once more.

Tommy frowned and shook his head, lowering his arms, “No, no it isn't.”

There was more silence, no one seeming willing to speak at first. They simply stood, and sat, there, aboard their broken ship, now floating just outside the earth's atmosphere; it was more than a difficult situation. This wasn't even far from ideal; to Tommy, and to many of them, it was the opposite of ideal. Billy was first to move again, though he did so wordlessly, approaching Andros' console; the ex-red looked at him and opened his mouth to speak but the scientist simply handed him a disk without a word. The Kerovian stared at it for a moment before putting it into the computer, tapping away again at keys and buttons before a variety of new information flooded the screens; his eyes widened and he spoke, “Wow.”

“What the,” Hayley said and looked at what had appeared, “Wait, isn't this....”

“As Tsuki said we took the information off the computer at the Dino Lab,” Tommy said, not quite smiling though there was some happiness in his eyes, a spark, “We planned to combine it with the information DECA has, had to make our next plan but....well....”

“This is more than what I actually happened to tell the truth,” Andros said, “Save for the things on my team and my sister's at least.”

Tommy nodded. “I thought so; the Lost Galaxy team is hard to get a lot of data on. It's a shame that-”

He was interrupted this time, not by the voice of another, but by the loud shriek and flashing red of an alarm. Hearts dropped immediately and Andros tried as best as he could to pinpoint the cause, far from the only one in the room to fear the chance that it was a rocket coming to try to board them or worse. Billy joined him and Hayley, Tsuki and Tommy did their best to assist as well, all five working frantically as Kira, Merrick and Lana watched.

Andros of course was the one to find it first but as he spoke, his voice shook with confusion, “It's the communications. They're....working again.”

Hayley blinked. “That's impossible.”

“No it's true,” he said and checked his data, “According to this we're picking up a distress call but how....?”

“Don't look a gift horse in the mouth,” Tommy said and leaned over to try and read what Andros was seeing, joined by those able to come and do the same, “Where is it coming from? Do you know who it is?”

“It's probably a trap,” Hayley said frowning, “I mean gift horse? Ever heard of a Trojan horse?”

“We cannot ignore a call for help,” Tommy retorted, “Besides according to this it's probably not a trap but the genuine thing; actually I'd be willing to bet that it's not. Only the real deal would have been able to use this to contact us.”

“Use our communication network?” Tommy shook his head.

“So where is it coming from? Who is it?” Billy asked the question everyone wanted to know the answer to.

“The Wind Ninja Academy; the Ninja Storm Rangers are calling for us.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (THOUGHT YOU GOT RID OF ME, HUH?!  
> XD Kidding. Baaaaccck, and wrote this in the span of a few hours playing my playlist nonstop; hopefully it didn't come out too horrifically~  
> Lana is not mine of course but Tsuki is; I apologize to Ash (theheartsofheroes.tumblr.com) for butchering her character but I promised angst.  
> I'd like to thank everyone who read this and decided to give it kudos; that makes my pathetic heart proud to know people like this >w< I'd love to get comments, tell me what you think and all that, though kudos are good too.  
> Until next time (hi Fizzy, I can see you there OwO) bye-bi!~)


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